


Why haven't you slept with him yet?

by Wrenspaperwings



Category: Homestuck
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, F/M, Language, M/M, Multi, Other, Prostitution, kankri shouldnt talk to people, karkat what are you doing, our first fic, pale kankri porrim
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-15
Updated: 2015-04-30
Packaged: 2017-12-08 13:41:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 13
Words: 48,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/761975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wrenspaperwings/pseuds/Wrenspaperwings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The eyebrow rose again. "You certainly don't seem like you are going to 'be fine,' " he said, but took a step backward anyways. He looked at the other male again, carefully. There seemed to be something going on under the hood, he had caught a glimpse of something as the other had finished his coughing fit. He was not quite sure what it was though. However, there was a more pressing issue to be dealt with. He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "Excuse me," he broke the short silence that had fallen, "but are you a smoker?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pardon me... are you a smoker?

**Author's Note:**

> This is something me and my moirail, Kelly have been working on since the end of last year. More chapters to come. We hope you like it.
> 
> Edit: Happy to announce a Tumblr page dedicated to it where questions can be asked and maybe art will be created. http://whyhaventyousleptwithhimyet.tumblr.com/
> 
> one more edit: It had come to my attention that my horrid half awake rambles is what I posted for chapter one. because I distracted my editor. I have shamed myself.This will be fixed shortly

Karkat slipped out onto the dark street, his hood pulled down over his messy hair. He was 500 bucks richer, but every step was an aching stab to his muscles. He should have charged more for how rough that man had been. He felt his muscles pulling over his hips and back, knowing they would be bruised to say the least. The small wounds from teeth littered his skin and left an annoying burning bruise when he moved wrong. He sighed as he hobbled down the street, more than a little eager to put as much distance as possible between himself and that apartment. He needed to go to a bus stop. Then he could rent a hotel room and clean up. 

Kankri waited impatiently at the bus stop, a foot tapping against the grimy sidewalk. He was not sitting on the bench. Just the thought of sitting on that poor excuse for a seat made his nose wrinkle with disgust. His posture was aloof and pulled into himself, arms folded tightly against his chest. He sniffed and looked around for the bus. No sign. Not that the bus was anything to look forward to. He hated it. Hated that he was off on his own for the first time, hated that he had to take the bus to and from campus because his car had broken down, hated... He'd have to think of another reason why his life was so unreasonable. He had important _work_ to do and this certainly weren't the conditions to do it in.

Karkat shuffled up to the bus stop with a feeling of relief and looked at the bench for a moment. The thought of sitting right then made his stomach clench and he chose to just stood quietly. He glanced through his dark bangs at the other man, trying not to be annoyed. of course, the one other person at the bus stop had to be one of the annoying fidgety people. He'd say something in his normal hateful growl but his voice was hoarse, his jaw aching from the gag that had been forced into his mouth. He leaned against the paneling of the stop shelter for a moment, his tired eyes half closed. He couldn't wait to be somewhere peaceful.

Kankri glanced over at the new person, the kind of glance where you don't really pay attention to the other when you look. After a couple seconds of his brain processing the short picture he had seen, his head turned back for another look. He tried to be surreptitious about it, casually looking the, probably younger, male up and down. There was something... off. Was that the right word? There was something off about him. The hood was pulled up a little too far for him to get a good look though. He looked away quickly, thinking the other had probably not even noticed his quick scrutiny. He looked around for the bus again, no sign, and checked his watch with an impatient huff. His foot continued to assault the pavement below.

Karkat noted that he was being looked at. It was subtle but the... _jobs_ he had to resort to had taught him fast who was looking and who wasn’t. But the man's gaze darted away again. Yet still his foot tapped.

"Hey..." he tried to keep from pushing his voice, barely managing to stay in range of hearing. "Could you stop that...? I've had a rough nigh-" His voice broke and he started coughing hard, cringing as his body tensed and he felt every bruise throughout.

Kankri jumped a little when the other started talking unexpectedly, even if his voice was low. He watched as the other lapsed into a coughing fit, unsure what to do. He took a step towards him, though not enough to be anywhere near the other. Yes, this was definitely out of his comfort zone. He talked at- _to_ people; he didn't touch them or whatever one was supposed to do when a stranger starting hacking their lungs out. Perhaps the boy was a smoker? An eyebrow rose at the idea. Perhaps this would give him a chance to steer the boy away from the dangers of polluting one's body with toxins. He stayed his awkward closer-but-not-really-all-that-close distance to the stranger.

"Are you all right?" Kankri asked.

Karkat nodded slowly and took a few deep breaths, coughing a little more as he righted himself. Each inhale was slightly labored and his lungs burned, ribs ached but coughing was making it worse and he needed to stop that shit. Counterproductive to say the least.

"I'll...“ another cough broke free of his throat, “I'll be fine," He tried not to snap at the stranger as he pushed his hair away from his eyes, careful to keep his hood drawn. It wouldn't help him to offend someone at this particular moment. Especially with his ability to insult every aspect was rather limited. It didn't help that there was a neat set of finger marks at the base of his neck he would rather no one saw.

The eyebrow rose again. "You certainly don't seem like you are going to 'be fine,'" Kankri said, but took a step backward anyways. He looked at the other male again, carefully. There seemed to be something going on under the hood; he had caught a glimpse of _something_ as the other had finished his coughing fit. He was not quite sure what it was, though. However, there was a more pressing issue to be dealt with. He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "Excuse me," he said, breaking the short silence that had fallen, "but are you a smoker?"

Karkat paused and stared at the other, eyes slightly narrowed in something akin to confusion and disbelief put together in a sandwich of annoyance. Did he seriously just ask if he was a smoker? What the hell did that have to do with a fucking thing? "No. I don’t. I can't loan you any money to get any, either," he growled, every word feeling like sandpaper in his throat. He assuming the other was trying to mooch one off of him. He straightened up the best he could and settled back against the Plexiglas wall of the bus stop.

Kankri's dark brown eyes widened with shock. It hadn't even occurred to him the other would think that /he/ was a smoker. "No, no, I'm not a smoker. Certainly not," he said, his hands waving off such a ridiculous notion, "I was just wondering if _you_ were. The cough, you see. Normally those who have stumbled onto such a dangerous habit have lung problems." He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his curly hair. He lapsed into silence, not really sure what to say next. He wondered what could have caused such a fit, and such seeming pain, if it wasn't the fact that the other male was some kind of marathon chain smoker.

Karkat rolled his eyes, wishing the bus would come. "Wow. Your first assumption is that I smoke. Do I look like that kind of fucking kid to you?" he asked, regretting every word but refusing to back down. He was already in too deep. But he knew he did. He looked like some sort of street urchin that dealt pot on the corner or begged for change. He wasn’t the cleanest right now and his clothes were full of holes. What else was the other guy supposed to think, giving his current looks.

Kankri bit his bottom lip for a moment, troubled by the other's statement. However he caught himself doing it and quickly stopped. That was a bad habit of his, one that, he thought, made him look ridiculous. However, it was obvious he had triggered the boy. It could happen even to the most careful of speakers and, unfortunately, when it did happen one had to admit one's fault. Even if the person one triggered had a foul mouth on them.

"I apologize. It seems I have triggered you. I did not mean to imply that you look like the kind of person who would be involved with such activities. I merely meant to help you if you did have such a problem. I will, in the future, try to be more sensitive when asking about such volatile subjects." He mentally filed the fact that asking a rough-looking kid if they smoked was triggering, no matter how much like a smoker they looked, and went back to talking, "Of course, when one comes to the subject of physical health one cannot be too careful. As you know, our bodies are precious things that must be looked after. Of course, when one of us is not able to fulfill that duty others must be vigilant and try to lend an encouraging hand to our fellow human beings." He took a breath, having fallen into a rant. His eyes had closed and his mouth had started to run away with him. This was why he did not have many (any) friends. He could probably go on like this for hours unless someone stopped him.

Karkat stared at the other as he ranted about health, bodies, and 'triggering'? He sighed in exasperation, praying to whoever was out there to send the goddamn bus already. "Shut the fuck up," he muttered. "I don’t need a fucking lecture from some weird stranger at a bus stop." He glared at the other, a truck passing by at an obviously illegal speed and blowing a gust of wind over them. A cool nights air became frigged on his skin, Karkat feeling his hood falling, but he was slowed by his aching ribs as the cloth fell and exposed his neck and face.

Kankri's mouth snapped shut as the stranger told him to shut up. He felt a flush rise to his face, fuming. /Kankri/ shut up? /Kankri/ is the weird stranger on the bus? He was, miraculously, silenced by his anger. He was certainly triggered by the other. He was about to launch into another bout of (much more angry) ranting when the truck passed. His eyes narrowed in disapproval as is sped by. 'Some people,' he thought, turning back to shout at the other male. All thought stopped when he saw what was under the hood.

"I- /you/..." he stuttered, gaping like a fish. The guy was a mess. Finger marks adorned the base of the neck, just barely visible from under the hood, and his face had some drastic bruising on it. Kankri had never seen anything like it. "What happened?" he managed to ask, taking an involuntary step forward.

Karkat winced as he tried to put his hood back up, fingers fumbling slightly for the cloth. The other had already seen him and it knew he looked like shit. "I had a rough night." He growled, his eyes on the ground.  "It doesn’t matter. You’ll forget you ever saw me in a few days," he said under his breath. Everyone forgot they saw him the moment they looked away. He was a nobody street kid selling his body. He wasn’t worth a single fucking thing in this world aside from a hard fuck, and he knew it. It had been a fact for far too long.

Kankri had exactly zero ideas on how to deal with this situation. However, that certainly was not going to stop him from sticking his nose in where it didn't belong and trying to deal with the situation.

"It seems like rough may be an understatement." He thought for a moment as the other pulled on his hood. He was shocked to think that that boy would think he could just /forget/ about something like this. It was violence like this that he was trying to eliminate with his social movement projects. His eyes furrowed for a moment. No, he could not just let this poor wayward soul vanish into the cold, dark night. Now it was just a mater of what to do...

An idea came to him and, though it was against his better judgment, he knew what he was CALLED to do.

"You're coming home with me!" Kankri said suddenly and vigorously, with a self assured nod to his head.

Karkat's eyes narrowed as he gave him a look. "No. No, I’m not. I've had my fucking fill for tonight. I’m going to go rent a fucking hotel room and pretend I have a fucking home for a night," he tried to growl, ignoring the harsh hoarse sound of his words and turned, moving to hobble to a different bus terminal when the bus finally (and slowly) pulled up to the station.

"No, no, no. I'm afraid I have to persist with this offer," Kankri said, moving so that he was slightly between the stranger and the bus. "Just wait one moment, please," he called to the bus driver over his shoulder. "I'll give you an extra tip if you'll just give us a second." The bus driver grumbled but seemed to agree to stay put for the moment.

 Kankri turned his focus back on Karkat, "I just can't have you wandering out in the street in the condition you're in." He figured that the other's hesitancy was from the fact that a stranger was offering him a place for the night. "Now, obviously this is rather odd; me, a stranger, insisting that you come over to my residence. However, I assure you I hold no ill intentions for you, and you will be quite safe with me. Not to mention that, by your "hotel" statement, I think I have assumed correctly that you have no proper lodgings of your own. What could it hurt?"

"Me, obviously." Karkat pushed past the other and got onto the bus, paying his fare before gingerly setting himself down in a chair, unable to contain the flinch.  Strangers offering him to stay over? Like that didn’t scream serial rapist/murderer out of a foghorn. Or even worse, a client. He leaned his head back waiting for the bus to move.

Kankri followed the stranger onto the bus, rubbing his shoulder where the other had shoulder checked him. He paused at the bus driver, shelling out his fare and the extra money he had promised. Now locked onto his goal, he made his way down the isle and took the seat across from his stranger. The boy _was_ going to accept his help if he had anything to say about it. Kankri could be a stubborn bastard if he put his mind to it, and at the moment he had put his mind to helping the hooded stranger (even though his help could be considered misinformed and slightly incompetent).

"Look. I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot. Let's try this again. I'm Kankri." He held out his hand for the other to shake.

"I'm more than you can afford," Karkat's gaze raked over Kankri slowly, "college boy." He shifted in his seat slowly, the amusement obvious in his voice. "I told you I was done for the night. Maybe if you run into me next week." He shrugged, which made him wince. He knew he was being a jerk, but this guy seemed determined that he go back to his place and his ass was too sore and the bruises were far from faded.

Unless he had a thing for that. And even then, Karkat _didn’t._

Kankri took a moment to study the stranger, for the third time. "I honestly don't think you're going to make me go broke." It was practically scoffing. Of course, Kankri would never talk to someone like that.

Honestly, how much would housing a stranger for a night be? Maybe the cost of some eggs and a cup of coffee in the morning, tops. Unless the stranger thought Kankri was offering for a more permanent roommate thing, in which case he certainly wasn't. Not like he’d just ask some stranger to be a freeloading roomie. So that could be it.

"In any case, I'm not asking for much. One night, really. I think I night at my place could even give you some time to recuperate from your... erm... condition." He felt awkward talking about the bruises at the moment when others seemed to be listening, so he tried to throw in some humor, "I don't play rough if that's what your concerned about." He smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

Karkat gave the other a look that said _are you fucking serious. Part duex_. Maybe the other was from a wealthy family or something. He knew his rates were a little high, but it meant he could do it less often with general regulars.

"One night?" he asked, watching Kankri's reaction. "$300 without the rough stuff. Any roughness and I go up to $500 automatically. " He closed his eyes, waiting for the other to call him fucking expensive and to just be left the hell _alone_.

Kankri raised an eyebrow. He wasn't quite following what the boy was saying, but at least it wasn't an outright "no" anymore.

"Uhm... I suppose? If you really think this little excursion will cost me $300," he said, his voice taking on a slightly disbelieving tone. Naturally, there was no way the little guy in front of him would cost him $300, even if Kankri gave him both dinner, breakfast _and_ some basic first aid for those injuries. However, he realized, it was probably a defense mechanism to push people away. Or perhaps a breakfast and a bed for the night would be _like_ $300 dollars for a poor kid like him.

Yes, that was probably it. He became serious again, "And naturally if you come to any harm from me, you will be recompensed." This he understood. Naturally just going over to someone's home would be risky at best. It was always good to be prepared. "Now, how about that name?"

Karkat sighed when the other agreed to his terms. He was really hoping he'd back down. "Karkat." He glanced at Kankri for a moment, the bus shaking a little bit, his hood still up. "Anything else you wanna know?" he asked softly. This strange guy was a client now. He needed to behave at least a little better.

Kankri beamed, glad that they were on the same page now. "Great!" He thought for a moment about other important information he would need to know about his new guest. "Well, I suppose I should know how old you are." He let out a small laugh. "It's hard to tell just by looking, you know." He was on the edge of his seat, partly to hear Karkat's response over the bus's noisy engine, partly because the bus seat was disgusting and he honestly didn't want any unnecessary contact with it.

Karkat sighed. "I’m 17." More often than not he got creepers who wanted him to call them daddy or some sick shit like that. As if they wanted to play house with him before they fucked him and tossed him back onto the streets. It was his least favorite game. He knew he was small for his age, never quiet getting much taller once he had hit the streets. "Are we almost there?" In truth, he wasn’t eager for sex, but he wanted a shower. Soft play meant he would get to clean up first.

Kankri nodded, his brows furrowing in concern. Whoever had beaten him up like this was sick. Teenage fights were horrid, violent things (so he had heard, he had never actually _witnessed_ said fights). Or even worse, an adult in his life could have done this to him. "Actually, my apartment is at this next stop," he said, getting prepared to leave. He never liked riding the bus for long and generally walked at least part way. Honestly, it could have come sooner. The air was getting suffocating in this nasty metal tin. The bus pulled to a stop and he stood.

"This is us. Let's get going."

Karkat had to literally pull himself to his feet, eyes closing in pain as he started moving again, his muscles having relaxed slightly from sitting. "I'm right behind you," he muttered, hobbling after him. He curled his fingers around the strap of the backpack hanging on his shoulder as he moved down the bus stairs to follow Kankri, refusing to audibly admit how uncomfortable stairs were.

Kankri wasn't quite sure what to say about Karkat's obvious agitation. Honestly, he wasn't quite sure about what to do with Karkat, _period_. Randomly inviting bruised up strangers into his apartment was not a thing he normally did. He _definitely_ didn't do touchy-feely "are you okay?" comforting too well. He just decided to leave it as they made their way to his apartment. "Fortunately for us," he said helpfully to his young companion, "this apartment complex is rather large, with 100 rooms on each floor. So I managed to get a room on the ground floor. Well, I had to make a call but regardless, no stairs to worry about" He walked over to apartment number 69 and fished out a key. "Here we are." He opened the door and gestured for Karkat to head on in.

Karkat stepped inside, staying quiet. "I need to clean up before we start. Can I use your shower?" he asked as he looked around it with curiosity. So this was a college boy’s room... interesting. There was barely anything in here. It looked like some sort of fashionista put it together and Kankri had just moved in. There was no way the kid in the red sweater had this sort of style.

Kankri followed him in. His apartment was clean and organized, just like he liked it. Furniture was sparse as he was trying out a "living in frugality" lifestyle. Well, mostly. His mother had insisted on adding a few touches. It was... interesting to say the least. There were three rooms to his small apartment. From the door, there was a main room that was part sitting room, part kitchen. In the sitting room was a sofa, where he was planning on letting Karkat sleep. There was also his bedroom, where his desk and computer were, and off his bedroom was a bathroom. A small Sun room was sectioned off on the east facing wall.

"Start...?" Kankri vaguely asked, trying to remember if he had made in definite plan of action with Karkat, "Um... okay? Anyway, of course you'll want to get cleaned up. The bathroom is in there, through the bedroom. Clean towels are already on the rack. Just use one of them."

He waved off the explanation, not particularly caring as slipping into the overly tidy bathroom and carefully shed his clothes. It wasn't his first time he had dealt with strange new bathrooms. It only took a moment for him to figure out the shower, letting it warm. This guy must have some weird 'rescue the street kid' fetish to want him that badly after his rough night. He sighed, glancing in the mirror. There were bruises on his back, ribs, neck, ass, and thighs. Bite marks littered his chest, hips and collarbone. He flipped on the water and climbed in, erasing as much of the damage as water could.

Kankri locked the front door behind him and went into the bedroom. He opened his closet and grabbed the spare set of bed sheets. Might as well get the sofa set up as soon as possible. Kankri wouldn't be surprised if Karkat wanted to start sleeping right away after his shower. After he had set up Karkat's makeshift bed, Kankri went to check his computer. He sat down at the desk, his back facing towards the bathroom, and turned on his laptop. He ran various social justice blogs (one of them was quite popular, it had almost 30 followers!) and even wrote a small column in the college's newspaper. It was his great work to create a social movement in the world. He always liked to update them after each day. Since he had a guest, he wasn't planning on doing anything major. However, he noticed that a person had been critiquing his views on the state of social welfare in their city and became focused on writing a rebuttal to it. As he typed he became oblivious to most everything else but the computer screen.

Karkat stepped out of the shower and glanced at his clothes as he dried himself. Opting out of his shirt, which had a rather obvious stain, he just pulled on jeans leaving them unbuttoned and most of the bruises showing. He assumed Kankri would like it like that, since he seemed so like 'oh poor homeless child all bruised der der der'. Even in his head, mocking him was sarcastic. Sarcasm was in his nature. And his natural defense against idiots. He stepped out into the bedroom, glancing at Kankri at his computer, feeling a hint of awkwardness. Normally, his clients were ready and waiting on him. Not... ignoring him for a computer. "I'm ready." he called out. Now that he was clean, he could do a small soft job, then sleep till he was tossed out again.

Kankri didn't look up from the computer. "Hmm? Oh you're done. Just, make yourself comfortable. I think I may have some soda in the kitchen if you are interested. I don't really drink it myself, but an acquaintance of mine from college always leaves things like that in my fridge. I'm just working on this reply really quickly. Honestly, some people are so misinformed." He lapsed into a series of mumbles about the hideously low intellect of some people these days. "It's absolutely ridiculous."

Karkat's eyebrow quirked up. This guy was weird. But he never passed up free snacks. He ducked out of the room, popping open the fridge. He glanced at the soda and taking a can to sip at as he moved back into the bedroom, crawling onto the bed to wait. No way in hell was he gonna stand around. His knees were roughed up and the rest of him still ached as much as the rest of him. He needed to get settled to get this over with Kankri seemed to be blogging. Which reminded him of diaries that the whole Internet could see. A stupid as fuck concept.

Kankri had been mostly oblivious to Karkat as the other went and got himself something to drink. The creak of his bedsprings, however, caught his attention. He turned in his chair to look at Karkat. His eyes widened and a slight flush crossed his face as he saw the position Karkat was in. He coughed awkwardly and stood, heading for his closet. "I suppose it should have occurred to me that your shirt was filthy. Here," he took one of his own neatly pressed shirts from a small stack and held it out to Karkat, averting his eyes slightly as to not stare at the other's bare chest, "This should be sufficient to, ahem, cover you. That is, until we can get your shirt cleaned."

“Cover me?" Now this confused Karkat. "I don't do this in my clothes. That’s just another mess I can't easily clean up." He frowned and sat up, looking at the shirt and then up at Kankri. "What kinda weirdo pervert are you?" he demanded. He had been humoring him up til now, money bought a lot of patience but that was the final straw. "You better not have been yanking my chain just to get me here. I shoulda fucking demanded the payment up front."

Kankri was now completely confused, offended, and irritated all at once. He offered a place to stay for the night, _for free_ , mind you, let him get a shower, and was offering him _his own_ shirt, and the younger male goes off on him? "What? I am not any kind of pervert, thank you very much. And, honestly, I will have to insist that as long as you're staying in _my_ apartment you'll have to cover yourself. I do understand that I invited you over here, insisted in fact, however this does not mean you can simply let yourself run around so... nakedly. We barely know each other and it is _highly_ triggering! And what exactly is this about payment? I don't think I have to pay you for staying letting you spend the night." He put his hands on his hips, as if demanding an explanation. He was the picture of prissy exasperation.

Karkat stared blankly at Kankri as the realization dawned on him. The other hadn't realized he had bargained with a whore. Fuck.

"Oh gods, you're oblivious," he muttered, sliding off the bed and ducking into the bathroom to gather up his clothes. His ribs slowed him down, hips and thighs screaming in agony. He couldn't stay here. The other was probably some sort of virgin and he was polluting his home with his filth. "Sorry. I'll go. You... You need to be more careful about what you say to people."

Kankri was once again mystified by Karkat's sudden mood flip. "Okay, hold on just a moment," he blustered, following Karkat quickly. "What exactly have I said to initiate this retreat? As far as I'm aware I have said nothing this triggering. What is going _on_?" He grabbed Karkat's arm, forgetting for a moment that any touching would probably cause Karkat great pain.

Karkat hissed in pain as the other grabbed a banded bruise on his arm. He didn't look back his gaze on the door. "I told you you couldn't afford me. I was telling you I sell myself." His voice was quiet, his drink having taken some of the harshness from his throat. "You said you could. And I would be compensated if you hurt me. You made a spoken agreement with a whore. Now, let me leave." It was hard to say. Hard to actually call himself a whore. He knew it was what he was. But saying it aloud? It made him feel disgusted at himself. This is what he had been reduced to.

After Karkat laid the facts out for him to see, Kankri's mind finally put together what exactly was going on. He took in the kinds of marks that were on Karkat's body. "Oh... /oh/... I..." His face filled up in a red flush, and his hand that had been grabbing Karkat's arm dropped to his side, "Oh my god..."

He, Kankri, had just bought himself a whore off the street and then took him home.


	2. Are you sure you don't need to go to a hospital?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karkat had felt himself let go after that /oh/ from Kankri. He had expected that from him. He was disgusting and the other probably couldn't stand to touch him. He had taken a couple steps towards the door when the other spoke again, saying he was not going to make him stay. Glancing back, his eyes heavy, he looked at that blush and listened to his offer to stay. It was clear now the other wouldn't want sex. So he was going to let Karkat stay for free without putting out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -shiny anime eyes- you guys are really sweet. here's chapter two, still by me and my moirail Kelly. shes so fabulous! hope you enjoy

Kankri couldn't even process the information. In all honesty, he was completely ashamed at himself for dropping those kinds of /completely/ triggering signals and being totally oblivious to it. He wanted to curl up and die with shame. Not only that, but this boy's problem was far greater than he could have imagined. Karkat was selling his body at the age of 17? He’d have to write something on this. Weren't there laws against this kind of thing? Who exactly enforced them? He'd have to get to the bottom of it.

During his mind's tirade, however, something in his mind mentally slapped himself about thinking about himself at a time like this. He very rarely rebutted himself, but he was doing so now. A voice attached to that something at the back of his mind told him that what was important right at that moment was to fulfill his end of the bargain. He had said he was going to help Karkat out for the night, and that was what he was going to do.

He took a breath, trying to slow his own thoughts. "I... I'm not going to make you stay, Karkat," he started, feeling quite awkward and unsure, his face still completely flushed with embarrassment. "However, nothing about my offer has changed, except maybe you, uh, understand what I'm actually offering here. So... yes. You are still free to stay here for the night. That is, if you wish. Preferably without any sort of physical contact of that manner."

Karkat had felt himself slump slightly in resignation after that /oh/ from Kankri. He had expected that from him. He was disgusting and the other probably couldn't stand to touch him. He had taken a couple steps towards the door when the other spoke again, saying he was not going to make him stay. Glancing back at that horridly awkward man, he looked at that blush and listened to his offer.

It was clear now the other wouldn't want sex. So he was going to let Karkat stay for free without putting out? It couldn't be that easy.

"What’s the catch?" he asked. He always looked for the catch, expecting the world to drop him again and again as life always had.

"Perhaps that you'll wear a decent amount of clothing while you're here," Kankri said, smiling wryly. 'And also that you will never mention the fact that I just bought you accidentally to anyone ever,' he added mentally. He coughed, looking around. He was feeling nervous and very out of his element with this entire situation. After all, how did one continue after learning that your guest thought you wanted to have... intimate relations... with him?

Karkat set his clothes down on the couch, pulling his shirt back on trying to ignore how grubby it felt against his skin. The other seemed very nervous. It was awkward now. "I should’ve double checked," he muttered softly, glancing up at Kankri. He never expected things to get to this point. "I’m going to settle down... It hurts to stand." He slowly settled down next to his bag with a cringe.

Kankri watched Karkat sit, his eyebrows furrowed with concern. "Are you sure you don't need to go to a hospital? You seem to be in a lot of pain..." Kankri, who's worst injury had been a black eye when he had went to an atrocious college party and talked to the wrong drunken brute, was not exactly the master of dealing with pain. Even if it was someone else's, he really wasn't wonderful at handling it. "I think I may also have a first aid kit."

"I don’t have insurance. I'd never be able to pay off the bill," Karkat answered simply, eyes half closed. honestly they would force him back into a foster house or worse a group home and he would rather be dead. "I'll survive. I always do," he muttered, glancing up at the other. "It’s why I was going to hole up in a hotel room. I always do after rough nights," he grumbled. He didn't like to talk about it, really.

Kankri walked over to the kitchen and found the first aid kit that his mother insisted that he keep in his apartment. He approached the couch cautiously, stopping a couple feet from it. He hadn't caught Karkat's (pretty obvious) reluctance to talk about the subject and asked, "Surely you must have somewhere to go. Some relatives, or foster care, or something?" He placed the first aid kit on a table next to the couch.

"I don't got relatives. And the foster system is shit for kids my age," Karkat growled, eyes narrowed a bit at the memory of the 'family' he had been assigned to the first and last time he had made the mistake of seeing a medical professional. A bunch of money grubbing perfections that treated him like a defective kid. It was far from comfortable. "I don't know what good that kit can do… got some of that creme stuff maybe? for the bites?"

"Yes, but surely any foster program is better than subjecting yourself to... /this/," Kankri said, gesturing at Karkat's current state. He started when Karkat mentioned the bites, "You have been /bitten/ by whoever this was? I..." He lapsed into silence for a moment, a look of horror and disgust on his face. He had thought perhaps they were marks from weapons or animals. not /people/. "Who exactly would enjoy /doing/ that kind of thing?" Reading about people causing harm to their physical partners was one thing, but seeing the victim of it lying on your couch was another.

"People love to hurt people," Karkat grumbled. "I should have charged him 700,” he continued to himself, sighing softly as he tugged his shirt up once again to reveal that his slender chest was littered with bite marks. "And the rough stuff pays better… The more I’m paid, the less I have to do." He offered his reasoning to the other without even looking up.

"He should be sent to prison," Kankri preached as he reached into the first aid kit. "Really, some people need to check themselves so badly. It's a travesty the way our society just /lets/ people like that roam the streets." He turned back to Karkat, fully prepared to keep ranting, when he saw the marks up and down Karkat's chest. He cut himself off with a gasp and involuntarily stepped forward and knelt down in front on Karkat on the couch. He was very close to Karkat's chest as he inspected the damage.

"He broke the skin! I cannot believe this. He broke the skin with his teeth!" he murmured incredulously. He prepared the disinfectant he had retrieved and dabbed in onto a cloth. He glanced up at Karkat.

"I think I have a better angle at some of these than you do. However, if you would be more comfortable doing this yourself...?" He left the question hanging for Karkat to decide.

Karkat watched the other rant… and then freak out? It was an interesting transition. The other was practically a queen with his odd mannerisms. When he got up close and personal, Karkat didn't flinch. He was sure that one punch, and this guy would be flat on his back.

"Go ahead." He shrugged a bit only causing himself to wince tugging at the skin

Kankri nodded. "This will probably sting," he said gently, and slowly started to dab the bite marks with the disinfectant. Whoever Karkat had gotten himself involved with was nothing short of psychotic in Kankri's mind. The bite marks and bruises were all over his body. Kankri was fairly certain the teen was lucky that his "client" (bluh, what a horrible way to put it) hadn't broken any of his ribs.

He was beginning to vaguely wonder how long the two had had sex when his mind realized what he was thinking about. As that realization hit him, he also became uncomfortably aware that he was ridiculously close to Karkat's body, knelt down in front of him in the way he was. He narrowed his eyes and tried to force his mind out of the gutter, keeping his hands far away from Karkat's waistline and trying to focus on his task. When he was done, he stood up and backed off as fast as he could. "There is also some aspirin in the kit. You can take three or so to help the pain, and I'll get you some water," he said quickly, only using one breath. And before Karkat could say anything he had retreated to the kitchen to start looking for a glass.

Karkat let the other tidy him up and disinfect him, his eyes closed. No one cleaned him up. Hell, he hardly ever did more than soak in a tub on nights like this. When Kankri abruptly backed off a dull throb reminded him of something. Karkat took the chance to unfasten his jeans once again and fold them down for a moment showing nothing but exposing one last bite mark on his hip, rubbed raw from his pants. He dumped some of the disinfectant on it, trying to be quick, but it burned like a motherfucker when it made contact with the bite and he cursed under his breath.

Kankri heard the soft curse. He had calmed himself down and gotten the water and walked back to the sitting room.

"Karkat are you oka-"

It took him a full five seconds to process that Karkat was sitting on his couch with his pants folded down before his body took over. He spun on his heel quickly, facing away from his guest, eyes clenched shut and trying to get the picture of the 16 year old in his boxers out of his head. All the previous calm he had forced on himself in the kitchen was gone, his face completely and totally red again.

"S-sorry about that," he said to his bedroom door with a nervous laugh, "I didn't realize you had... well, yes... Um... Just let me know when I can turn around again."

Karkat raised a brow at his reaction. Everything the other did said and reacted to made his brain scream VIRGIN in big flashing letters as red as the shirt he was in. He rolled his eyes for a moment.

"You can look. I was just cleaning up the last one," he muttered. "It’s not like I’m gonna pull my junk out just to fuck with you."

Kankri had been almost positive that his blush could not have grown any worse, but somehow it did. It was just so disturbing that Karkat was so used to throwing around such terminology like it was a casual thing to walk in on someone with their pants down. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand. "I wouldn't expect you to, no. However, I am fine like this, thank you. Just let me know when you are finished."

Karkat nodded and dabbed it a little, his fingers nowhere nearly as graceful as Kankri’s, before he fastened up his jeans again. He’d put down a piece of gauze keeping it from rubbing him raw again."Alright. I’m covered," he muttered, looking up at the other expectantly.

Kankri cast a cautious look over his shoulder before turning around completely. "Right. So here's the water. I'd say take three now and the two tomorrow."

He held out the water to Karkat as he reached into the kit with his other hand and pulled out the pill bottle. He checked the prescription again just to make sure he had the amount right. “Yep, three should do it.”

Karkat took the pills, watching the other as he popped them back and sipped the water. "I make you uncomfortable." It was a statement; he had no doubts about it. "What I do. How I dress. And talk.” He listed off the things he had noted cringes on.

Kankri froze a bit, not expecting to be called out on his discomfort. There was really no getting around it. He took a step back and nodded. "Ye-es," he said slowly, "I suppose so. We're very different, after all. It's very... unsettling."

Of course Karkat's occupation and foul mouth unnerved him, but that wasn't the only reason he was feeling uncomfortable. He had never been very good at interacting with people. Talking with them online? Fine. Teaching them? Sure. Lecturing them? Naturally. However, just simple everyday interactions with them were baffling. The last "friend" he had had over was only because they had been paired up for a project, one that Kankri ended up doing by himself while his partner drank sodas and talked to his /real/ friends on Facebook. He was not good at getting people to like him and he knew it. Accepted it, as well. But now it was becoming very clear that he was worse than bad at interacting. He was absolutely /horrible/.

"Why?" Karkat asked his eyes focused on the other. "Is it because we're different? Or because you disapprove or...?"

He left that sentence hanging so not to sound full of himself. He knew many guys grew uncomfortable at being attracted to another guy, but it was always a possibility. He was a pretty boy. His clients never shut the fuck up about it.

Kankri wasn't sure if he was enjoying the reversal of role Karkat had just pulled. Karkat asking /him/ personal questions was starting to make him feel uncomfortable.

"I suppose both? Perhaps? Yes. A little of both. I think it is quite obvious that we are very different people, Karkat. I'm just not used to interacting with someone as... free and open with such things as you are. Naturally, I would be unsettled. And I do not think it will surprise you to hear me say that I certainly disapprove. Such a lifestyle is not only degrading to you, but harmful as well. It is these kinds of social spectrum deficiencies that I strive to work against." He leaned against the wall, becoming lost in his own train of thought.

Karkat shrugged and settled down onto the couch watching him. "Then why help me? You didn't know shit about me. You didn't even know you basically hired a hooker," he added, actually curious on this note, having tossed all this thoughts on this guy being some sort of pervert out the window

"I-" Kankri began to answer and then realized he barely knew why h 

He looked at Karkat, baffled, "Well I-" The picture of what Karkat had looked like when the wind had blown his hood down, just that sheer jolt of disbelief that someone could be in that kind of shape. "I... suppose it was because you seemed like you could use some help, and I was the only one there at the time who could do so." It was really the only explanation he had for his behavior.

Karkat looked at him thoughtfully. He hadn't realized he was in shitty enough shape that it would compel strangers to help him. It was a bit depressing, in all honesty. He had always told himself he was strong and he could just move through everything without it bothering him, and then one day he would be free and live somewhere and maybe even be happy.  
"Oh."

Kankri had a feeling that he had somehow not said the right thing, but absolutely no clue how to rectify the situation. "Well obviously that had been a particularly rough... client," it actually hurt to try and say the word, "so you're probably tired. I'll just... be in the next room... if you need anything." With that said, he hastily retreated into his bedroom, closing the door behind him. He sat on his bed and rubbed his eyes. What the hell had he done? He sighed and stripped off his bulky red sweater and the shirt on under it. He looked down at his own frame, comparing his own body to Karkat's almost against his will. Where Karkat was toned and fit, he was flabby and undefined; thoroughly uninteresting and unremarkable. He let out a humorous laugh. Karkat was the whore, yet, out of the two of them, Kankri hated his own body more. He quickly slipped on a baggy shirt to wear and sat down at his computer, hoping to drown out his thoughts with some extreme debating with the douchebags on the Internet before bed

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Karkat had laid on the couch for hours before he finally drifted off. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been asleep long before he woke with a start, heart beating hard in his chest as he stared into the dark. His dream had torn him from his sleep.

More of nightmare to be honest.

He was alone in his mom’s apartment, the day she died. Except when he found her in his nightmare her body was rotted and her empty eyes stared at him, howling about why didn't he save her.

He pushed himself up, trying to calm down. He had to calm down it was like his chest was crushing in on itself. He curled his knees up for a second, heart pounding hard in his chest. He was shaking, and glanced at Kankri's door. He just needed to see another person alive. Just needed that reassurance that it was okay still.

He got up and gently pushed the door open, seeing the other resting in his bed. His feet were silent on the carpet as he crept into the dark room. He crawled slowly into the bed, careful not to disturb him as he hugged up against Kankri. His skin was warm against his own as he snuggled against his chest, taking soft slow breaths and listening to the sleeping man's heartbeats, counting them in his head

Kankri was a hard sleeper. His father used to have to dump frigid water on him as a child just to wake him up for school. The foreign presence in his bed did make him shift for a more comfortable position around him. His hands snaked quickly around Karkat's body, pulling the younger boy into his chest. Kankri's head nuzzled into the messed up locks of Karkat's hair, taking a breath. He sighed with contentment, now comfortable, his face still slightly nuzzling Karkat's hair.

Karkat was startled when the other actually pulled him closer and nuzzled him, as if he liked being near him. He could tell he was still asleep though. So Karkat simply slipped his hands to snuggle closer and tried to settle down, his exhaustion and tired body helping him drift off to sleep.


	3. Or a social blogger monk?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Well I can't keep up with myself if I don’t work." ‘And I don't wanna soil your overly clean house with my filth.’ His afterthought was depressing. "Maybe your fellow students would be fucking friendlier if you cuddled them like you did me," he added, letting a smirk turn on his lips for a moment. He really couldn’t resist one more blush.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another chapter from Me and Kelly ^.^ Glad you guys are liking them and theres more to come. Also thanks to the marvelous hobofaerie for editing for us

Kankri woke to soft light streaming through his blinds. He always woke earlier, why waste the day after all. And after years of consistency, he didn't need an alarm. He breathed in an unfamiliar, though extremely pleasant, scent as he lay there, too sleepy to realize that something was off. It took him about a minute to realize that his arm was trapped under the neck of his new house guest (who was in his bed) and that their bodies were pressed against each other. and Karkat appeared to be lacking the basic clothing Kankri wore nightly. At this realization, however, his eyes flew wide open in horror.   


Another ten seconds later, he had squirmed and wiggled his arm free and tried to move off the bed, away from Karkat. He envisioned something like flying out of the bed to the opposite wall, perhaps sticking to it like a cat. All he managed to do was roll ungracefully off the bed, smacking his head on his night stand edge on the way down. He hissed in pain and held the back of his head as he lay on the ground.  


Karkat woke slowly when the other moved. After a rather unfortunate bondage experience he tended to wake when his partner did. His eyes were barely cracked as he watched the other sort of fall out of bed... looking pretty freaked out. He sat up slowly with a yawn, rubbing his eyes, before he crawled over and looked down at the older male. "What the fuck are you doing? Are you okay?" he grumbled sleepily, the sheets slipping away to show he did in fact still have his jeans on.  
Kankri's eyes snapped up to the younger male in his bed. He slowed his breathing, which had sped up in his freak out, and tried to regain his usual placid nature. He coughed awkwardly.  


"I simply fell out of bed. I- uh- do that often when I wake." He stood, becoming extraordinarily aware that all he was wearing was a large shirt and boxers. It was not enough infront of this boy whom was pretty much a stranger. He turned and strode over to his closet, his facing feeling hot, and extracted a pair of black khakis from a shelf. "So how did you come to get into my bed," he asked as he put them on, trying to be nonchalant about it and seem like it was perfectly normal to wake up hugging a stranger in one's bed.  


"Through the door," Karkat answered without a thought, reluctant to say much else on the subject. He relaxed against the pillows as if it were his own bed, watching Kankri get dressed and absently appreciating how nice he looked. Not like he was extraordinarily attractive but he was certainly nice to look at. Even in those boxers and sleep shirt. He had been comforted by the way the other had pulled him closer so forcefully last night. Like he had actually /wanted/ to cuddle, not like someone who had bought him and wasn’t done claiming him. Karkat was almost disappointed Kankri had woken so soon. He could have stayed like that for a few more hours. He slipped off the bed, padding back towards the living room.  


"Right... the door... hahaha," Kankri muttered weakly as the other left the bedroom. He was so far out of his comfort zone it was frightening. He was groggy, confused, extremely on edge and had no idea what to do about any of it. So, he did the only thing he could do: continue with his morning routine. He went over to his laptop, flipped it open, and took it into the kitchen. He set the computer down on the counter and reached into the fridge, keeping an eye on the screen. He grabbed the eggs carton and set it on the counter next to the computer. "How do you like your eggs, Karkat?" he asked as he grabbed a pan from a cabinet with one hand and typed up a paragraph on class subjugation with the other, drowning his raging thoughts in blogging. He stopped for a moment, a thought coming to mind. "Unless you are allergic to or don't like eggs. If that case I wouldn't want to trigger you with such a statement of fact. I may also have some bread around to make toast."  
Karkat looked at him, having been gathering up his shirt, every time he leaned or moved his body practically screaming in protest. He had to do something about it.  
"Um, whatever’s fine," he grumbled. "Look can I use your shower?...again?" he muttered, knowing he had taken one last night but all that had really managed was to get.... stuff off of his skin. He cringed a little at the thought. Kankri's reaction to him before a shower in his bed would be a lot worse, he was quite sure of it. "I'll try not to take long."  
"Go ahead," Kankri said. He was, honestly, relieved that he be getting a few moments alone without Karkat's presence near him. It had been a lot to deal with in a very short time. It would allow him to get his thoughts into order. "And take /all/ the time you need. Really, there's no rush whatsoever." He turned and started the burner, deciding that omelets would be the way to go. His mother had a passion for cooking and had passed it onto him. Just because he was a college student did not mean he had no taste for food.  
Karkat stared at him for a moment, suspicious. Kankri was acting weird. But whatever. Maybe he was just tired. Shrugging halfway before stopping at the touch of pain, he trudged into the bathroom, turning the water on as hot as it could go before stripping again, each of his muscles resisting movement. "Shoulda… fucking charged… more..." he grumbled to himself, catching sight of his reflection in the mirror before getting into the shower with a sigh. The heat brought relief and he took a moment to just close his eyes and lean against the tiled wall.  
Kankri sighed with relief once he heard the bathroom door close. He pressed a couple of fingers to his forehead, shutting his eyes. It was obvious that Karkat was unsettling him, to say the very least. However, he had very little idea /why/ the other's presence threw him off so badly. It could be that Karkat's occupation, if one could even call it that, and his casual reference to lewd acts were making him uncomfortable. Or perhaps just the fact that they had woken up together in a way he hadn't even experienced as a child at sleep overs. Or it could be that he really was /that/ bad with interacting with other people. Or having people with him. 'Oh my god, I cannot be /that/ bad,' he thought to himself with a start. Sure, he never really made many friends as a kid, normally chasing them off with long nonsensical speeches about sharing and whatnot, and he often acted aloof and isolated at best when he was in a crowd. But, surely he was in the right. This kind of thing didn't happen normally... right? He had become lost in his own thoughts, but the smell of almost burnt eggs snapped him back to reality. He quickly turned his attention to the task at hand, no more sure of his emotions than when he started trying to sort them out.  
Karkat stayed in the shower until the water started getting cold. With the ache taken off his muscles, it was only the bruises that hurt him now, which he could easily deal with. He dried himself off, careful to mop up any water on the tiles. He kind of felt like Kankri was one of those weird OCD guys, but he wasn't too worried. He would probably be asked to leave later that day anyways. He pulled his jeans back on with a soft hiss and stepped out, smelling a slightly charred scent in the air. "Hows the cooking going?"  
Kankri turned around, holding two plates. "Just finished actually." He handed one to Karkat. "You’ll have sit on the couch though, sad to say, as I have yet to get a table for myself." He walked over and sat on said couch as he was speaking, keeping to a far end as to give them both space should Karkat decide to sit on the couch as well. "I mostly eat at my desk, doing homework or working on my projects," he explained casually, crossing a leg and taking a bite out of the omelet on his plate.  
Karkat took the plate as Kankri began talking, sitting in the prissiest manner he had ever seen. From what he saw already, Kankri was either incredibly gay or a momma's boy. Probably both. He settled down on the couch, one leg up against the couch arm with the other dangling off absently as he took a bite. Kankri raised an eyebrow as he watched Karkat take a "seat" on his couch. But Karkat didn't seem to notice as Kankri watched his eyes widened slowly, a bit startled at the amazing flavors in his mouth. It was actually really good. Ignoring the other for a moment he pretty much shoveled the first half of it into his mouth. "You're on that computer thing a lot," he commented, glancing from Kankri to it.  
Kankri did smile as the other obviously enjoyed the food. Even if he enjoyed it in an... uncouth manner. He looked at his laptop with Karkat. "Well I do my most important work on there," he said, eyes closing as he felt himself drifting into the familiar embrace of a monologue. "You see, I have many social blogs where I express my opinions on various injustices. You would not /believe/ the misinformation some people have nowadays. It's practically a crime in itself! Not to mention the swine that one finds on the Internet is appalling. They really /cannot/ understand an intellectual opinion..." His monologue faded off in a grumble, a look of prim disgruntlement on his face as he wrinkled his nose in distaste for the ignorant (aka, the people who disagreed with him).  
Karkat kept eating, a brow raised. "Isn't that just called life?" He was being honest. People picking on misfortunes, being ignorant and appalling sounded pretty regular to Karkat. He chewed on his omelet for a minute. "I mean. Just about everyone is out to get someone or something. And they’re willing to step on or over people to get to it."  
Kankri flipped his hair with a long-suffering sigh. "Unfortunately, that is a contingency that I have to deal with in my work. It is things like that I am trying to speak out against. Think of it this way," Kankri leaned forward. He was lost in his own monologue, eyes bright, the free hand not holding the plate motioning exuberantly along with his words. "It only takes a thought to change a world. One outspoken person can do wonders for social change. If he has the right audience, that is. Martin Luther King Junior, Winston Churchill, Gandhi; such great men and all they had to do was /speak/ to make a real, lasting change in the world. The idea is… intoxicating.” A look of intense longing crossed his face as he spoke, not really focusing on anything but his own thoughts now.  
"Um... alright then?" Karkat shrugged, getting up to put his plate in the sink. "Didn't they just have one major cause that affected their nations?" By this point Karkat was drudging the bottom of his halfway high school education and coming up kind of dry. He didn't know much about history, or most of those guys. But MLK Jr? Everyone talked about him. "Like segregation or some shit?  
Kankri snapped out of his reverie, face falling for a moment. He quickly regained his prissy composure and stood up from the couch. "Well, yes I'm focusing on a broader range, but I believe the implications of such a goal are extremely important. Our world is messed up enough that in order to cover it all, one must have many areas of study; one of the reasons I have so many sites. In any case, it's nothing you'd want to hear about, I'm sure." He got to the sink, rolled up his sleeves and began to meticulously wash the two plates.  
"Well, I'm not much for justice. My life isn’t exactly legal," Karkat grumbled as he shrugged his bare shoulders, the finger prints from the night before now a deep brown tinged in reds and purples. "Sorry man. I'm sure it’s real fucking interesting to the internet and shit," he apologized, starting to feel awkward. What the hell was he still doing here? He should have left instead of getting in philosophical debates.  
Kankri had almost forgotten who exactly his guest was before Karkat reminded him. He winced at the marks and turned his attention back to the dishes. "I was not triggered, no need to apologize, Karkat," Kankri said with a shrug. He was also feeling the awkward lull in the room. He finished drying the dishes meticulously and put them back. "So..." he said, turning to face Karkat, realizing that he had absolutely no idea where he was going with the statement. 'Now what?' he asked himself, utterly perplexed on where exactly the next step was.  
Karkat looked at Kankri and padded over to the couch, getting his shirt and pulling it on. "I'll just… head out," he muttered, leaning over with a slight cringe to pick up his bag and his shoes, leaning against his couch arm as he pulled his shoes on. "I wouldn’t like to mess up your day or hold you up."  
"Oh." Kankri couldn't explain the twinge of disappointment that shot through him as Karkat started to get ready to leave. There was no rhyme or reason to it, just the feeling of disappointment. But how exactly was he supposed to express it? 'Oh my goodness rough street whore please stay and spend some more time with me because I obviously don't have a life or friends and need to pull people off the street and into my home so I can have companionship.' Oh yes, /that/ would go down smoothly. Kankri was beginning to get concerned that he really didn't have social skills. "Really this was no trouble," he said awkwardly through his chastising thoughts.  
Karkat blinked at him. "Yeah, but it’s awkward. You fed me and cleaned me. It’s not like there’s much more you can do and the only way I have to thank you, I’m pretty sure you don't want." He emphasized his point by glancing down Kankri's body before his eyes flicked back to his face, expecting a blush. The other seemed very sexually limited. Maybe he was some sort of virgin. Or a social blogger monk? Regardless, he was in no way ready for this sort of attention especially not from a seasoned pro.  
Par to the course, Kankri's face filled with blood, his skin taking on a red flush. "Th-that will definitely /not/ be necessary," he said, trying to smile even through his mortification. "As I said, this was really no trouble. You're much easier to deal with than most of my fellow students when they come over. And it was nice to talk to someone. I don't... erm... have people over often..." He glanced away; this moment really could not get any more awkward. (He hoped to any gods that might be out there he was right about that.)  
Karkat raised a brow at the odd mortified look in his eyes, contrasted strongly by his smile. It was... almost painful to look at. As the other talked he had the oddest feeling the other was asking him to stay… but that was impossible. "Well I can't keep up with myself if I don’t work." ‘And I don't wanna soil your overly clean house with my filth.’ His afterthought was depressing. "Maybe your fellow students would be fucking friendlier if you cuddled them like you did me," he added, letting a smirk turn on his lips for a moment. He really couldn’t resist one more blush.  
The blush got darker as Kankri recalled his strange awakening. "Well I- I- uh..." He really wished to sink into the floor and/or die. A thought occurred to him through the jumbled mess of his mind. "Though I don't think you would have been accosted by my -ahem- cuddling if you had not suddenly found yourself in my bed." He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, trying to look condescending even though the blush was still blazing across his face. "What /were/ you doing there in the first place?"  
The smile dropped off Karkat's lips as he recalled the horrifying nightmare that had drove him to seek comfort among the other to assure himself others were warm and alive. "The couch isn’t exactly comfortable. I was just going to slide into the bed, but you came out of nowhere like a fucking spider monkey and jerked me over." It was only slightly exaggerated. Though it had been nice to pretend that someone cared… that he wasn’t alone.  
The small point Kankri though he had won vanished at Karkat's explanation. "Then I have to apologize for my behavior. Had I know I was that... clingy while I slept I would have warned you about it." He really hoped Karkat either could read between the lines enough to understand that the only reason he did not know these things about himself was because he had never been in a bed with another person before, or that the hint had just sailed over the younger male's head. Considering his previous insinuations, however, the latter was very improbable.  
"How could you not know? I mean, I was there for two seconds and you were like..." He gestured at himself. "In my space. Not that you were bad or anything." The last bit was a bit of a mutter but still obviously spoken. "I mean surely your lover or whatever buddy has told you." Karkat was being an optimist at this point, assuming the overly awkward OCD monk boy actually had someone. But saying he didn't would probably get him tossed out faster.  
"I am a /very/ hard sleeper," Kankri said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. He winced a bit at the insinuation. He was glad, at the very least, that he had managed to give Karkat the impression that he had actually had physical relations with others and wasn't Totally Out of His Depth at the moment. However, the glaring fact that he had never actually had said physical relations stung. "Oh- um yes, right. Whatever... buddy indeed..." he returned awkwardly. He paused for a moment, thinking, trying to find another subject "So you uh... work... in the city I presume?"  
"It’s the only place that my kinda work really... well, works," Karkat muttered, and shrugged. He didn't really like his work. Or talking about it. Well, it did mean he was good at things such as sex if he ever got around to having it with someone he actually liked again.  
"Right well, yes. True," Kankri said, mentally hitting himself for the idiotic question. "The only reason I asked is that I have recently found a position in a coffee shop near my college, which is downtown as you probably know, so perhaps I shall see you around?" Yes. Good. Finally his brain had come up with a subtle way to mention wanting to talk with Karkat again. It was a totally illogical, stupid, desperate desire, but he wanted to make sure he'd see the younger male again. Though Karkat seemed to be annoyed by him at best, Kankri hoped that he had made a good enough impression that the other would, perhaps, consider stopping by.  
Karkat raised a brow. The other was as subtle as a brick through a window. He picked up a pen and grabbed Kankri's hand, proceeding to scribble his number on the other's oh so clean soft skin. "Just text me your schedule or something. I'll see what I'm doing." He gave the other a little salute and picked up his bag, swinging it over it his shoulder and slipping out the door without another word. He still had 500 in his pocket. If he could get another client in the next few days he could maybe put down on a place he had been looking at.  
Kankri blinked as Karkat exited, not exactly sure what had just happened. He stood there, blinking at the number on his hand uncomprehendingly, much like a cow looks at the headlights of a train head its way. It finally sunk in and a smile quirked up onto his lips. He took out his phone and put the number into his contacts. It was time to get a shower and get ready for his first class, not to mention get the ink off his hand, because frankly that was completely disgusting.


	4. We'd have to find a private place, ‘cause your manager would get mad otherwise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "That's five seventy for both the cookie and the coffee," he said after a quick tally on the machine. "Also I may be able to convince my manager to allow me a few moments to talk. That is, if you're not just stopping by for a quick one?"  
> "A quick one? We'd have to find a private place, ‘cause your manager would get mad otherwise." Karkat’s voice sounded absent, like he wasn’t thinking about what he was saying, but he was testing his boundaries with Kankri even as he set the money on the counter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And chapter 4. Sorry for the pause but chapter 5 will be up in a couple days or so. Finalsssss!!!!

Kankri stood at the cash register of the tiny coffee shop, looking at articles on his phone and praying the end of his shift would come sooner rather than later. He had absolutely no one to talk to at work. His two coworkers had chatted with him for the first couple days until they realized Kankri's ability to ramble on was not just a nerves thing. He also had no interest with interacting with the usual rowdy college crowd that hung out at the shop. Normally, all he could do was stand there and look bored. Fortunately, today was not busy and he could get onto his phone without worry that his manager would get onto him. No customers meant the employees could act however they wished, to an extent. Most days he sat on his phone and prayed the little bell that signaled a customer had come through the door wouldn't chime.  
Out on the sidewalk however, Karkat glanced at his phone and the address that had been sent to him almost 4 days ago. Kankri had texted him a paragraph, along with his schedule and the address. It was... ridiculous. Who puts that much effort into someone they had spent one night with? And not even one of his usual kind of nights. He was beginning to seriously doubt the older boy had any friends what so ever. He pushed the door open, with only his backpack on his shoulders. He had managed to get two or three referrals and for now... he had (optimistically) a place to live. Which was decent-ish but better than nothing. If it went through that is.  
Kinda.  
No, it wasn’t.  
Kankri had sighed as he heard the door chime, slipping the phone into his pocket and shutting his eyes for a moment, keeping his head down, trying to postpone the moment of interaction. Karkat looked around the shop before strolling up to the counter, grinning a little as he watched Kankri hunch lower, staring at his phone like he couldn't see the other. Unfortunately for Kankri, Karkat was very good at getting seen when he wanted to. Karkat leaned on the with his elbows, trying to get within Kankri's sights. "So this is your job?"  
Kankri quickly looked up, when he heard Karkat's voice, eyes widening in surprise and delight till he got his emotions back under control. Mostly. "Karkat!" He beamed as he said the other's name. "Good to see you. Yes, this is in fact my current occupation. Well more it is a means to an end. I mainly focus on my studies if I am completely honest of the situation"  
Karkat raised a brow at the cheery greeting regardless of the ramble that was attached to it. "Wow. That was perky. Miss me so soon?" He leaned in a little closer. "You only bought me like, four days ago." He meant it as a tease to the other, wondering if he got flustered at work even if the comment was made in a hushed voice.  
Kankri's face flushed and he glanced around the coffee shop, as if someone could have heard Karkat's hushed whisper. "Perky? No, I just wasn't expecting to see you. Haha. Yes. No. I mean... can I get you something to drink perhaps?" He diverted quickly, hoping to avoid any more "Kankri bought a prostitute by accident" references from Karkat. That was not exactly the sort of information he would want even rumored to be on his record. He feared he would never hear the end of it if his coworkers heard. They were gossips of the worst sort.  
Karkat smirked a bit, feeling a bit smug at the reaction. It was probably mean but only slightly. "Sure. Got any of that uh... it’s like milk and coffee or some shit. Mocha? Latte.. The one without chocolate in it." Karkat was obviously not a frequent fancy coffee drinker. 90% of the time if he needed a pick me up, he mooched off hotel coffee bars or... more unconventional pick me ups. "And maybe a cookie."  
"Alright then," Kankri said after a moment of thought, figuring out what Karkat wanted with his vague order. "Give me just a moment." He turned and got the drink ready with ease. Even before he started working in the shop, Kankri had known his way around coffee. Too many nights staying up blogging and a prefrence not to drink any sort of black coffee is what did it, he supposed. After a minute or two, the order was ready, and he turned back to Karkat. "That's five seventy for both the cookie and the coffee," he said after a quick tally on the machine. "Also I may be able to convince my manager to allow me a few moments to talk. That is, if you're not just stopping by for a quick one?"  
"A quick one? We'd have to find a private place, ‘cause your manager would get mad otherwise." Karkat’s voice sounded absent, like he wasn’t thinking about what he was saying, but he was testing his boundaries with Kankri even as he set the money on the counter. It was a terrible game he was playing but Kankri was making it sooooo easy.  
Kankri blinked at Karkat's statement for a couple moments, not grasping what he was asking. Then his mind put into place what Karkat was insinuating. His blush darkened. "A quick cup of coffee- that- it is what I meant. Not anything else. Just, you know, coffee," he managed to get out as he fumbled with the money. He was desperately trying to back out of the insinuation, not believing he had just made a statement that drove Karkat to such an assumption.  
Karkat watched him fumble with great amusement, a smile slowly sliding over his lips as he chuckled. "Well, any way you want it." He couldn't help it. This… this was amusing. By far. Faaaarrrr. So far it was amusing in the next state practically.   
Kankri cleared his throat and handed over the coffee. He decided the best course of action was to plow through the subject and try to ignore the awkward... awkwardness of the entire situation. "Care to sit down? It's slow and I'm sure my employer won't mind me chatting with you for a bit." He gestured over to one of the tables as he mentioned it.  
Karkat chuckled. "Further talks with a... " he leaned in close whispering as if it were a scandal of some sort, "whore." He chose the word to bother Kankri. It was weird the other hadn’t backed off yet. Everyone always did before. "But your reputation, your honor." By this point his voice was sarcastic. "Yeah, if you want to. I mean, I hear Jesus did something similar."  
Kankri pulled himself into a (somewhat) state of composure. "Karkat, there is nothing shameful in talking to one of your profession. It is not as if I want to procure your.... services. We're merely acquaintances having a talk. No matter what occupation either of us has." He raised an eyebrow at the sarcasm, "And you should be careful with your religious allusions, Karkat. They could be seen as quite triggering to some." He looked to make sure his boss was fine with the fact that he was chatting to Karkat and, once he figured out that his boss didn't give two shits about what he happened to be doing, walked over to one of the tables. He motioned for Karkat to sit in the chair across from him.  
Karkat took a seat. "It’s a fact Jesus hung out with a whore. And you technically did. I was nearly naked in your bed." His voice was quiet so no one would over hear them, though he was amused. "It’s nice to know you consider me an ‘acquaintance’." At that he made air quotes. "So what are you up to, Mr Hard-Working Coffee Boy?”  
Kankri made a slightly strangled squeak of embarrassment in the back of his throat at the mention of Karkat being half-naked in his bed. He tried (and failed) to play it off as a cough.  
"Right, well, we do know each other and we have met more than once. I would consider that grounds for acquaintanceship." Kankri had gotten into the habit of calling people “acquaintances” rather than “friends”, normally because no one really liked him enough to want to /be/ his friend. He had found it was easier to not want to be their friend back in turn. He was glad for the return to a normal, everyday subject of conversation. "The usual. Keeping busy with school and this ghastly job," he couldn't stifle the triggering (at least to his boss it would be triggering or at the bare minimum seen as offensive) eye roll that followed the statement, "and you?"  
Karkat smiled a little wider at the squeak knowing the other had thought about him half naked for a brief moment. That... was amusing. So was this boy who actually didn't seem to want him. "The usual. Hoboing around, working." He nodded absently fiddled with a fray in the upper thigh of his pants. "Moving around a lot. I hate when it gets to be this time of year. It’s cold." He grumbled a bit.  
Kankri's eyes flicked down to Karkat's upper thigh. He quickly looked back up, chastising his own mind for being stupid and practically a gutter of lechery. He managed to stay calm at the mention of Karkat's work (perhaps he was getting the hang of being around the younger male?) and nodded. "It does get frigid around this time... You don't have any permanent lodgings? Not even potentially permanent?"  
Karkat's eyes went to his coffee rather than meeting Kankri's. He was still transitioning from low class to high. He only had 3 well-paying gigs and then the Garden took a cut of that money as well as proof he could earn that way... He couldn't afford to. "Not.... exactly…" His voice was soft and hesitant in that one moment.  
Kankri was conflicted to say the least. On one hand, he disliked people. Interacting with them, dealing with them, and facing the questions that doing the former two always brought up. It was all bad. On the other, there was this stranger who, for some reason, had a way of making Kankri want to do anything in his power to... he wasn't even sure. The thing was, having one's own apartment in the city, even when he received help from his parents to a certain extent, was expensive. He had been looking for a roommate recently and his mind was now pestering him with an insistent ‘Why not him?’ He bit his lip, trying to decide if he really wanted to suggest what he was thinking.  
"Yes, well, living in this city is ridiculously expensive. I'm looking for a roommate myself; someone to spilt the rent with. I believe it would be more affordable for two."  
He said it casually, secretly gauging Karkat’s reaction. Now Karkat could decide if he wanted to take the opportunity. And if he did, great. After all, it was either Karkat or someone else he couldn't stand. At least, for some reason, he liked being around the younger male.  
Karkat looked at the other for a moment. This really, really uptight dude just offered to share his apartment?  
"...I'll do it."  
It didn't take much thought. The other was amusing and this winter was looking like snow. Rather be a bit more broke, working harder, than be cold as all hell. Plus Kankri cooks. Oh gods, food was a god send for him in this deal. "Do I have to sleep on the couch?  
Kankri let out the breath he had been holding subconsciously. "Great," he said, smiling, but at the mention of the couch he became pensive, "Most likely. Perhaps we could trade off days. Yes, that would probably work. At least, until we get another bed, or a cot, or something."  
Karkat thought about it. He could always get in and out before Kankri knew what was happening if he felt like having the bed. And the cuddles.  
"Alright. It’s a deal." He smiled a bit sipping his coffee. "So... can I come over after work... or is that too soon?" He tried to keep the overly optimistic noises out of his voice, but it was hard. This was the best luck he had had in.. years to say the least.  
Kankri did his best to keep his smile at a polite width. He didn't want Karkat to think he was too excited about their new arrangement. He heard what he hoped was excitement in the other' voice. However, it was hard to tell. Perhaps he was falling into wishful thinking. He nodded, "That's fine. Since we are roommates now we might as well get used to it as soon as possible. I get off of work at six so I'll get to the apartment around six thirty. Will that be acceptable?"  
Karkat took out a different phone than the one he had been fiddling with throughout the conversation, checking things. "I have a Makara appointment till nine, but I can be there about ten-ish? Um, I guess I can eat while I'm out, so that you can go to bed?" He offered honestly wanting the other to say he'd stay up and cook. He wasn't very good at roommates, though. He had never had one. What was acceptable? ITs not like he was looking to get himself in trouble or thrown back out, much less spoiled or something.   
"I do not normally go to bed very early anyway," Kankri confessed with a slight shrug. Usually he was up until late writing on his blogs or studying. "And don't worry about eating. It would probably be best if you came right over. I could just make you something to eat… that is, if you are okay with that."  
Kankri felt a twinge of uncertainty; did Karkat suggest getting something to eat because he hadn't wanted Kankri to cook... or... what? Dealing with people was difficult.  
“Oh, sure, i can work with that. alright." Karkat agreed with a little smile. "I'll be there about ten, then,” he assured him, his phone going off in his hand., buzzing loudly "I have to run. Appointment." At the word he gestured at his phone and wiggled his eyebrows playfully for a moment. "I'll just knock when I get there. Home. Whatever."  
He got up, leaving a couple bucks on the table for 'tip' (aka money to Kankri) before hurrying out the door. Kankri gaped for a couple of second, watching the other leave. His face had flushed into a bright red again. He picked up the money from the table. As he looked from it to the door he wondered what exactly he had just gotten himself into.


	5. 10:06

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kankri started a little, still getting used to a second person being around the apartment. He couldn't help but smile, a twinge of pride snaking through him. "I'm glad you think so Karka- for goodness sake do you have a personal vendettas against shirts?" Kankri asked as he looked up and saw Karkat (once again) half-naked. He flushed and directed his attention towards the pot, spooning out two plates of the steaming pasta. "/Please/ clothe yourself."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heres another chapter. Finals week wooo this is gonna get nuts for a week or so but we'll have another one to you soon

Kankri sat glued to his screen. He had come home from work, eaten something quickly, and had lost himself in his world of words. The clock on his computer read "10:06" and he was worried. Hadn’t Karkat said 10? Perhaps he had meant 10 am and Kankri had simply misheard or misunderstood him. What did it mean if he was late, or if Karkat didn't show up? His hands were flying across the keyboard, documenting more of his thoughts on his current situation than the issue he was supposedly arguing about. He huffed and glanced at the clock again, unsure what to think.  
Karkat knocked on the door, trying to fix his hair with little progress. His shirt was torn in a long gash down his front and showing his flat stomach but he had a new one under his arm. That was the good thing about richer clients. If they damaged something they actually felt they had to replace it. Once he thought he looked half decent again, he knocked a second time. This was the right place. He was sure of it. Just in case he went to get his phone if he had to text the other’s phone.  
Kankri stood up hurriedly at the first knock. He was about to go to the door when he paused and looked at the screen. His eyes widened as he read the worried ramblings his mind had told his hands to type. He quickly deleted what he had written and closed the page. By the second knock he was at the door. After a quick glance through the peephole to verify it was infact the youth he had been waiting for, Kankri opened the door. "Hello Karkat, come in," he said, smiling. He quickly looked Karkat up and down. No major injuries like last time, expect maybe to his clothing. That was good. He was glad that Karkat hadn't seen that psycho again. Of course, a part of him hated the idea of Karkat having seen anyone at all. He pushed the thought back as illogical, though, and moved into the kitchen. "I assume you are hungry, yes?"  
"Very." He assured the other. "Where can I set my things?" And by things he meant the same backpack he had been carrying the previous time he came to visit. But in truth it contained everything he owned. Easily. He tried not to think about the little he owned and instead on what the other could be cooking. "Do I have time to shower while you cook?" He queried, glancing at the pot on the stove with steam rising form it.  
"I made space for you in my- the closet, if you want to put your things in there." Kankri said, getting various ingredients from their places in his kitchen. He glanced over at Karkat and the backpack, wondering if that was everything. He cringed inwardly at the thought of living from one small backpack. He pushed past the thoughts, however, and nodded at Karkat's second question, "Yes, I think so. I'm making pasta if that's all right. The water is boiling already, but the pasta itself will take a bit to cook."  
"Okay." Karkat shed his coat, tossing it onto the couch before opening his backpack and pulling out his spare jeans and some rather interestingly colored boxer briefs. "I'll put up my backpack after my shower." He assured the other. With that he vanished into the room he had used less than a week before, soon washing himself clean once again, though this time there was little pain, wounds and bruises long gone. He also could take his time, contemplating his new apartment. It was an odd phrase in his mind. Some place as nice as this being his. Well his and Kankri’s, that is. If he really cosidered it, he should be more hesitant to live with a complete and totaly stranger whom he had spent less than 24 hours with. But in all honesty, Karkat was sure of the fact that if it ever came down to it and Kankri even tried to hurt him, he would most likely be able to take the older boy to the floor with absolutely no effort.   
Kankri avoided looking at Karkat's unmentionables, even though the boy was practically waving them around, and huffed a bit at the coat that was thrown onto his- the couch. It was going to take some effort working the possesive words from his vocabulary. Though in all fairness, it was still HIS couch. He was simply sharing it. He walked over when Karkat went to the other room, picked up the coat to fold it, and placed it next to the backpack neatly. He then went back to finish cooking, humming subconsciously as he stirred the simmering liquid. Soon a rather pleasant smell had filled the kitchen and other parts of the apartment. He liked cooking. It was straight forward, easily controlled, and measured. He got two plates, thinking how odd to be getting more than one yet again, and set them to the side, ready for when Karkat got out of the shower.  
Karkat dried off rather briskly, fluffing his hair with the towel rather than truly drying it before slipping his red briefs on and his jeans, his discarded clothes under his arm. He stepped back out into the living room to shove his clothes in his backpack, sniffing the air. "Dear gods that smells so good."  
Kankri started a little, still getting used to a second person being around the apartment. He couldn't help but smile, a twinge of pride snaking through him. "I'm glad you think so Karka- for goodness sake do you have a personal vendettas against shirts?" Kankri asked as he looked up and saw Karkat (once again) half-naked. He flushed and directed his attention towards the pot, spooning out two plates of the steaming pasta. "/Please/ clothe yourself."  
Karkat looked down. "My shirts are dirty.” He muttered, not mentioning the new one he had just been bought. “And my last one got ripped. I don't exactly have a closet of options in here. Can't I be topless? " He grumbled scooting up beside the other leaning onto the counter his butt pooched out like he was trying to show it off when really it was habit. "I'm hungry." He poked his lip out a bit.  
Kankri made a mental note to wash Karkat's shirts the soonest chance he got. "You could always use mine," he complained, but held out the plate to him anyway. He couldn't help but smile as he saw Karkat's expression. "Are you pouting?" he asked with wry amusement.  
"Yes. Will it get me fed sooner?" He asked his grin spreading a bit as he took the plate. Pouting had gotten him a lot of things in his line of work. People tended to like when he stuck his lips out like that. "Cause I can pout like a champ." With a little smile he leaned up closer smelling the pasta. "What is it called?" He asked curious  
"Right, I'm sure," Kankri said with a slightly skeptical chuckle, "It's Orecchiette with Pancetta, Peas, and Fresh Herbs. I'm not very good at giving any of my recipes names." He shrugged a bit and handed Karkat a fork. "You have no allergies I should know about, correct?"  
Karkat had the fork and a couple fork loads in his mouth before he even asked about it. He shook his head and padded over to the couch, the fork in his mouth as he moved his things into the floor beside it. "Is it okay if I sit?" He asked looking at the other even as he managed to graceful move into an Indian style position on the couch.  
Kankri was slightly dazed by the complete grace that Karkat had as he moved. It was completely astounding. Karkat was nothing short of beautiful. 'I certainly understand why he can charge so much of his clients,' his mind thought errantly . He blanched as he realized a second later what his mind had just said and shut his eyes quickly, mentally berating himself. After a second, he realized that Karkat had asked him something and his head snapped back up to look at Karkat again. "Hm? Oh, yes. That's fine go ahead." He remained standing stiffly at the counter, trying to get his thoughts back under control and in a decent place.  
He smiled a little bit as he ate swiftly with the fervor of a child who had had too few hot meals in several years. It was not long before he had finished, rising up onto his feet like a cat stretching before padding back to the counter. "Are there seconds? I mean, if not its alright." He queried of the other, glancing at him even as he playfully bumped their hips together. "And you can sit by me. If you want. I bite but generally only after I have the cash in hand, so you should be safe."  
He watched Karkat eat without realizing his own plate was getting cold. He found himself wondering what it was like for Karkat out in the city by himself. "Sure go ahea-" he cut his own answer off with a startled yelp when Karkat's hip bumped his own. He flushed a bit, but it was weak compared to the levels of red his face had previously risen to on account of Karkat. Deciding it would probably be awkward (and rude) to refuse to simply sit next to his roommate, he walked over and took a seat on the couch. He had relatively gained his composure and added, "Take as much as you want."  
Karkat helped himself to a slightly larger portion and settled back down much in the same graceful way he had before. He didn't even realize his grace anymore. The teacher for The Garden had spent 3 months drilling it into him. Though she assured him his fluid like grace had already been there, just rough around the edges. He was willing to put up with as much buffering he needed to his edges to get in the damned Garden. He smiled at the other even as he ate. "Thank you. For letting me stay here and stuff. "  
Kankri kept ahold of his mental facets (sort-of) as he watched Karkat sit back down. He wondered where Karkat had learned to move like that. Maybe the younger male had just been born with it. He smiled at Karkat. "Well I have been looking for a roommate, so you are also doing me a favor. Besides, we know each other... to a certain extent. That beats having to room with a complete stranger. I mean, we've even slept together." Kankri prattled, meaning that they had shared a bed, not realizing (yet again) the dirty implications of his own words.  
Karkat snorted back a laugh, swallowing the mouthful of pasta he had so he could laugh his plate set on the table to keep from dumping it on the pristine carpet on accident. The other had said it in a positive light. It was cute since Karkat knew for a fact Kankri didn't mean it like Karkat meant it. "Sorry. Yea, sleeping together was a delight." He picked up his plate again. "With how close and tight you held me" He went back to eating with a smirk, watching Kankri out of the corner of his eye.  
Kankri was perplexed at Karkat's laughter. He raised an eyebrow as the other laughed at him, hoping he would explain the joke. When Karkat mentioned his- what was he supposed to call it? The "Violent Cuddle Clutch of Death" perhaps? Yes, that would work. When the Violent Cuddle Clutch of Death was mentioned Kankri flushed, assuming that was what Karkat was laughing about. "Well, yes. That was rather embarrassing. Though, honestly it wasn't /that/ funny."  
Karkat’s smirk refused to fade as he focused on his plate. "I am oddly amused, is all. Don’t worry ‘bout it." He kept munching away eyes on his noodles as he a little smile on his lips. He was making dirty jokes and the other was missing it completely. This was far more fun than he expected. When he was done he got up to set the plate down in the sink. "I'll let you live it down.. one day."  
Kankri merely shook his head. "I noticed you are tickled by a lot of peculiar things. All the innuendos, for example." Kankri raised his eyebrows at Karkat as he walked over to the sink and began cleaning off the plates. "Perhaps it's just me, but do you always make everything into an innuendo? Or at least a reference to... certain lewd acts?"  
"When I went to school, the principal told me I would grow out of it. It was a boy thing." he chuckled. "But I haven’t. I grew out of school instead so it was a close miss." He shrugged a bit as he settled down on the couch again watching the other. "I like innuendos. Make some laugh and some cringe. Helps me ferret out the kinda people who would put up with me and my work.” Because regardless of how little he wanted to be what he was, it was easily a huge thing in his life.  
"Huh," Kankri said as he methodically dried the dishes and put the remainder of the pasta in a container for later. The only time he had met his own principal was to get some sort of perfect attendance award. He looked over at Karkat on the couch. "I can see that you do. It this part of your charm?" he asked, amused skepticism in his voice.  
Karkat nodded. "I guess so?" He shrugged a bit as he fiddled with his hair perched on the edge of the couch. "If I don't make sex jokes, can I sleep in the bed with you?" He looked at the other, curious. He expected a no. Or a blush. Something to give him indication of where they stood in all honesty. He couldn’t let go of the feeling of optimism in his stomach. The nightmare from last time had put him off the look of Kankri's living room in the dark.  
Kankri, true to form, felt his face flush at the idea. He had to admit he was glad that Karkat asked, instead of just crawling into bed in the middle of the night without warning. He took a moment to debate with himself. If he had time to prepare (AKA get as far on the other side of the bed as he could so that he would not drag Karkat into another Violent Cuddle Clutch of Death) then things should be fine. They were both adults (Kind of) and could be mature about this kind of thing. It wasn't like Karkat could seduce him just by sleeping in the same bed as him. "Cutting down on the sex jokes would be appreciated, and all right I suppose. It's not like you'll be able to seduce me that way," Kankri let the ending part of his train of thought slip out with a short laugh at the idea.  
Karkat raised a brow. "I can't seduce you that way? What are you some sort of saint?" He looked a little confused and curious at this, his mind making him think of it as a challenge. "I bet I could." He smiled a little bit, not used to having to back down from challenges that really were exactly at his skill set. But at least he had permission now. He had missed real beds that weren’t soaked with sweat and other weird smells beforehand.  
Kankri did a slight double take. "What?" He walked back around from the kitchen. He shook his head with a smile. "No, Karkat, you really could not. The idea is a /little/ laughable." He leaned against the bedroom doorframe, not really thinking that Karkat would ever take the conversation seriously. He was actually quite happy that the conversation wasn't making him uncomfortable. Perhaps it was the sheer absurdity of the subject. Karkat? Seduce him? After they've only known each other for a few days? No it was more funny than inappropriate to him.  
Karkat's eyes narrowed slowly and a smirk got on his lips. "Challenge accepted" He muttered, just above a breathe. Can't seduce him? It was literally his job to seduce people, and this obvious little virgin (there was seriously no way he wasn’t) cookie was not going to be a hard nut to crack, especially with how he cuddled at night. This was going to be either very amusing or get him in a whole lot of trouble.   
Kankri had to admit it, he was starting to feel a /little/ disconcerted by the look Karkat had on his face. "Right then," he said slowly with a nervous chuckle, "I'll be at my computer if you need anything." He turned into the room and opened the laptop, feeling oddly on his guard and a little paranoid about the entire situation.  
Karkat shrugged and stretched absently. "I'm gonna slip into bed if its okay. I've been up a while." And he had. Mostly he wanted to be curled up on those sheets in a real bed that was sort of like his own for once.  
Okay," Kankri said, turning his head to look back at Karkat. It was hard to tell, but Kankri was fairly certain that Karkat had just been messing with him. Messing with him seemed to be a thing that Karkat did. He smiled. "Goodnight. I'll only be an hour or so on here."  
Karkat nodded and slid the lights off, relishing in the moonlight that flowed into the window. He quietly padded to the bed, sliding under the covers with a soft pleased noise as he cuddled up under and slowly relaxed till he drifted off  
After about an hour, Kankri shut down his computer. He padded over to the bathroom and did his nightly routine, cutting out a few parts that could wake Karkat up, such as taking a shower and drying his hair. That cut down his time to thirty minutes, very quick considering his normal routine. He went over to the closet and slipped into a baggy shirt and matching pajama bottoms. He gently got into the bed; turning so that he was facing away from Karkat, and almost instantly fell into a deep sleep.  
Karkat shifted in his sleep, weather from a natural urge to be close to people or such training of being a bed companion till his body pressed closer to the other as if to make him aware just through the slight pressure and body heat that he was there  
As soon as Kankri's sleeping form felt the other's presence, he instantly shifted to face towards Karkat. Gathering his up in his arms, Kankri once again pulled Karkat towards his chest. A sigh escaped him as one hand slowly ran through Karkat's hair, ending up resting on the younger’s back.


	6. sexualintercoursewithanotherperson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karkat slowly pushed himself up and gazed at the other, raising a brow as he left the closet. He had managed not to laugh or anything this whole time. He was ready to see how Kankri would handle it all. This was going to be amusing. "So...Why were you in the closet?" he asked softly in a sleepy manner, shifting his body to show the dip of his hips to the other as if on accident. He was, after all, a pro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys ^.^ Kelly and I survived finals and are gonna keep writing. alot more since summer vacation means we can stay up till 4 am doing it woo hoo. and here we go

Karkat shifted slowly, already awake. Today was the day. It had been over a month since the other had challenged his skills in such an offhanded manner. He had bided his time and let Kankri forget about his little ‘cant be seduced’ talk. He didn’t know why he was so up in arms about this really. But it didn’t matter now. He had a vague plan in mind and was putting it into play this morning.  
The other was a virgin so he wouldn’t steal that away. That would be plain mean. But oh... he was going to make him think he did. He carefully pushed his own shirt off before moving to shimmy Kankri's off. It was a good thing the other was a heavy sleeper. It only took another moment before he slid his pants down to expose a good bit of his ass, having gotten into bed without undies and ‘accidentally’ leaving them close by in the floor. He snuggled back against him nuzzling his bare chest, faking sleep. Now to play a really rather comfy waiting game.  
Kankri slowly woke up. He had a very good internal clock; a good thing, too, because no alarm could wake him in the morning, so he woke around the same time everyday. It had been about two weeks since Karkat sharing a bed with him had officially become a "thing” instead of a one-time thing. Or two weeks since he accepted it was permanent. More often than not, he'd wake to find himself plastered to the younger boy, having latched onto him sometime in the middle of the night. So Karkat's presence was not necessarily what freaked him out. It was the sensation of skin on skin and, as his sleep-fogged mind tried to put the pieces together, he felt a growing sense of unease.  
He opened his eyes fully to see that not only did both he and Karkat not have shirts on, but also Karkat's pants were most /definitely/ lower than they were supposed to be. His blinked, panicked, as his mind put the scene together. He would never sleep even half naked of his own volition. Which meant he must have fallen to Karkat’s charms the night before. Utterly alarmed, he stifled a (fairly girly) shriek and climbed out of the bed as quickly as he could, while not waking up Karkat. Once again this meant clumsily scrambling and almost hurting himself by tumbling onto the carpet. Not knowing what to do or where to go, he dove for the closet. Once inside he started calling any contact he had in it. The advice upon telling them that he just woke up after having sex with someone he barely knew? "Go back and do it again." He was freaking out. He finally reached Porrim's number, someone he had been close friends with since childhood. In all honesty, really the only friend in his contacts besides Karkat, and she had put up with him for a lot longer. He waited anxiously, drumming his fingers on the wall as the phone rang.  
Porrim made a small sleepy noise even as she picked up her phone with a graceful stretch. It was Kankri's ringtone, which meant he probably either got a stain on the carpet or his computer had a virus again.  
"Mmmm. Hey, hunny. Are you okay? It’s a little early," she muttered, eyes half open as she glanced at the clock, her own nude form wrapped up in black and jade colored sheets on the bed. 

Meanwhile in the bed, Karkat stifled a laugh but stayed where he was, adjusting a couple things so that his pants were lower without his dick hanging out. It wasn’t a free show and he didn't want to scar him for life after all. Kankri continued to freak out quietly in the closet.  
"Porrim. Porrim, oh God Porrim. I need your help." Kankri's voice was something between a stage whisper and a pained moan as he spoke into his cell. He was tucked up under a shelf in his closet, hoping if he got small enough, he'd disappear. "And advice. Oh /God./"  
Porrim sat up now, worried. "Baby, what happened? Are you alright? Why are you whispering?" she asked, wrapping one of her deep green sheets around her young curved frame. "Is someone there that is hurting you? Do I need to call the police?" The idea of someone being willingly with him so early was far from her mind. She knew her friend very well, after all.  
"No, I'm not being assaulted. I am hiding in the closet, though," Kankri said, shutting his eyes tightly. "I think... I may have just had..." he took a shaky breath, "sexualintercoursewithanotherperson." The last part he said very quickly, as if the words would hurt him on the way out if he didn't get them away from his mouth as soon as possible.  
She let go of the sheet, settling back down in the bed with a happy sigh, her shoulders relaxing at the news. "Awwwww, I'm so proud of you! I knew you'd give up that silly vow once puberty really hit hard. Who are they? Are they cute? Why are you in the closet?" She closed her eyes, leaning back against the pillows, waiting on some details.  
Kankri sighed as the barrage of (very unhelpful) questions came through his phone. He pinched the bridge of his nose, his head still reeling, "No. No, Porrim. I have had no intentions of breaking my vow... until last night apparently... and it isn't- wasn’t silly! And I told you I'm /hiding/ in the closet." He ignored the first two questions because he really didn't want to have to tell Porrim too many details about who he had just gave his virginity to. However, if he knew his friend, she probably was not going to let him slip by without specifics.  
"Who do you have to hide in the closet from?" She smiled a little bit. "And if the vow weren't silly, you wouldn't of fucked someone last night. It’s cute. Was it fun?"  
"His name is Karkat. He's... my recent roommate." He had forgotten to tell Porrim about Karkat, he realized, as he explained to her. "And language, Porrim. As for... um... how /it/ was... I," he started to mumble, "....I don't remember..."  
"He? Oh hunny, I always thought you were a priss but gay too? I can't say I'm surprised really. And you really should get out of the closet. Bit of a moot point." She smiled softly, teasing him and listening to his worries. "How can you not remember? Was he that terrible? I’m sorry, hunny. Kick him out of your house and I'll come right over with ice cream.”  
"Porrim, your use of the word ‘priss’ as a term for a person who happens to be of the homosexual orientation could be very triggering," Kankri started to monologue but then realized what else she had said, "NO! No! Noo no no nono." It took him a moment to get his volume under control again. " There is no need to come over, Porrim. I- I don't know why I don't remember. All I know is that there is a half naked man in my bed and I need to know what to do about him." His voice had reached a squeaky, strained tone and Kankri felt his eye twitching. He had no idea how to deal with ANY of this.  
"Um, get back in bed and refresh your memory?" She offered her advice. "If he's sexy, fuck him an extra time for me." She smiled a bit to herself. He wasn’t going to like this answer. It would offend his delicate sensibilities. "Go and get out of the closet. You slept with a man. That counts as coming out.”  
"Language," Kankri managed to choke out. "Really, Porrim. I'm not going to just hop into bed with him! /Why/ is this the course of actions everyone is telling me to take?" He put a hand to his forehead. Yes, okay, he had to admit in the VERY back of his mind there was a LITTLE voice that said getting back into bed with Karkat for "round two" was (supposedly) a GREAT idea. However he was still in complete shock about the whole thing and feeling extraordinarily overwhelmed.  
"Everyone? Wait a minute. You didn't tell me first?" She acted a bit offended. "I dunno, kick him out of your bed. Either way you're going to have to talk to him. And soon. He's probably gonna wake up soon. And if you're not there… wow, he might be triggered, thinking you're one of those hit it and quit it boys."  
It wasn’t reverse psychology, but maybe like sideways psychology.  
"Your name was further down in the contacts and I wasn't thinking clearl-" Kankri froze. "Oh my God, you're right." Kankri realized the horrible (triggering) implications of waking up alone in the bed might mean for Karkat. "Porrim, I have to go. After I've sorted this out, I will call you. Goodbye." He hung up without waiting to hear her response, too busy trying to quietly open the closet and stand up.  
Karkat slowly pushed himself up and gazed at the other, raising a brow as he left the closet. He had managed not to laugh or anything this whole time. A grand accomplishment honestly. He deserved a medal or something for it. He was ready to see how Kankri would handle it all. This was going to be amusing. "So...Why were you in the closet?" he asked softly in a sleepy manner, shifting his body to show the dip of his hips to the other as if on accident.  
"I- uh was just," Kankri's lying ability was sorely hindered by Karkat's "accidental" movement, his eyes practically magnetized to Karkat's hips. A strange feeling shot right to his crotch at the site of Karkat’s pants so low. Normally, he ignored such implications and exposures as nothing he was interested in. But now it was difficult with his mind reeling as it was. He blushed furiously and forced himself to look back at Karkat's face. "I was checking... my phone," he finished the half-lie lamely, using all of his willpower and sense of decency not to look back down Karkat's body.  
Karkat blinked for a moment, staring at him. He knew it was the truth but still.. not a good liar at all... and that was good. "Mmm.. Okay.” He smiled a little bit. “Wanna come back to bed?" His voice was sleepy, lazy, and inviting. He /was/ a professional after all. Even as he spoke, his one leg slid off the bed, showing a little bit more skin in the most distracting way. He stretched slowly while he dragged his hands up his body in a seemingly innocent fashion.  
Kankri was completely and utterly torn on what to do. Every piece of common sense was telling him to run and hide, even jump out a window if necessary. He wasn’t cut out for this. People didn't do this kind of this with him. And he didn't do it with them. It was how his life worked and had worked for years. However, what little he knew of bedroom decorum and that voice in the back of his mind was telling him that since he just had intercourse with Karkat he was supposed to do... something. Like get back in the bed, for example. He took a breath and then nodded, slowly approaching the bed. He reached the edge and paused before he got back in. "Perhaps, maybe, you could pull your pants up a bit, Karkat?" he asked, feeling completely idiotic, awkward, and shy all at the same time.  
Karkat blinked for a moment and looked down at his hips as if he had /no/ idea his pants had slipped so far down. "Oh, I'm sorry, I must not have buttoned them last night. I was just exhausted.” He shifted a bit and tugged them up without buttoning them still, his ass now covered and part of his hips. "Is that better?" He smiled a bit. "No reason to be shy."  
Resisting the urge to bolt, Kankri climbed into the bed. After all, this should be nothing. Right? They had already had sexual intercourse, so there should be no problems. Then why was his heart beating so fast? He got into the bed and turned towards Karkat, ridiculously aware that Karkat's pants could be pulled down at any moment if he wished. He put his arms around Karkat, feeling unsure. He had never really been awake when he cuddled Karkat, so he had no idea if he was doing it right. It was odd, where was one even supposed to put their arms and legs. "Just... tell me if you're uncomfortable," he said, concerned that his lack of interactions with others was going to cause Karkat discomfort.  
Karkat smiled. The other's ignorance was delicious and precious. At least now maybe Kankri would relax and react more like a normal teenage boy. He shifted his body till he fit more comfortably in his arms for the both of them with a little smile. “Relax? I mean I know you don’t do day cuddling, hun. Don't hurt yourself.”  
Kankri tensed a bit, but quickly remember to relax. This was... actually okay. It wasn't nearly as terrifying as he had first thought. In fact, if he was being honest, he was enjoying himself despite his lingering awkwardness. He bent down and, praying he was doing this right, kissed the top of Karkat's head. He surreptitiously looked down at Karkat, wanting to know if he was responding correctly.  
Karkat smiled and let a little happy noise escape from his throat as he nuzzled the other quietly. "Heh. so friendly today…" He muttered it, an obvious compliment. "I like that you've loosened up a bit... wanna maybe have breakfast?” he asked, his stomach making noises.  
Kankri felt something both embarrassment and pride at the fact that Karkat confirmed that he wasn't doing this whole "morning after" thing wrong. Breakfast. Now he knew how to do that. "Yes, sure. Love to. I'll get started on that," he said, sliding out of bed again and grabbing his sweater off the back of his desk chair. He put it on and quickly went into the kitchen, trying to collect his thoughts.  
Karkat smirked a bit, amused his plan was going so well. He moved after the other, his jeans now buttoned but they were still low-rise jeans, hugging his slender hips. He moved through the house absently, bare feet silent on the carpet. He wondered how long he could keep this going? He would tell him sooner or later, of course. Probably no more than a day or so. He didn't want to upset Kankri too bad after all.  
Kankri was busy trying to bury his thoughts in a pancake mix, too flustered to make them from scratch this morning. He was furiously whisking everything together when Karkat entered the room. It didn't do much to help his chaotic thoughts. Naturally, the younger boy had neglected to put on a shirt, and the jeans were low enough it gave plenty of material for Kankri's (suddenly overactive) imagination to work with. He went back to the mix. His mind was complete chaos. All of the feelings he had carefully stuffed into neatly organized boxes had suddenly come open. Now that he knew that he had given in once, there were these... urges. Normally, he supposed, because his virginity was still intact he had not even considered certain things. Even if he did, it was easy to shut them up. Now that the wall was down, Kankri was feeling very defenseless against his own body's needs. It was weird how powerful a simple concept like virginity could be so powerful. That or he was simply overthinking the whole mess?  
Karkat padded up leaning on the counter much as he had the very first night he had come there. Bent at the waist, butt pooched out a bit out of habit, while resting on his one elbow on the counter. "Mmmm, I love when you make pancakes." He had become spoiled on this man's cooking but it really was making the others rants seem... tolerable. Almost amusing. He had been gaining a little weight, not in a bad way but he didn't look like a stiff breeze would blow him over anymore. After a moment he moved around and puled himself on top a nearby counter as he had begun to over the last week or so. He liked to watch his food and he could reach coffee now. That was another thing of Kankri’s influence on him. His coffee consumption had easily tripled.  
Kankri realized he had suddenly become hyper aware of what Karkat was doing. The way he moved, stood even sat, it was all under high watch by his mind. It was, frankly, maddening. He tried to think of a solution to his problem and, honestly, the best thing he could come up with was Porrim’s advice. After all, they had already done it once. What could another time hurt? He wasn't magically getting his virginity back any time soon. By the time he finished making the pancakes he resolved that he would indeed have sex with Karkat again… if Karkat wanted to, of course. This train of thought brought a whole other string of worries into his head. 'What if Karkat does not want to because I was so bad the first time?!' Kankri put the pancakes on Karkat's plate, too preoccupied with his own thoughts to eat.  
Karkat blinked, still sitting on the counter, now with pancakes but a little concerned for Kankri. Had he upset the other or something? Maybe his tease wasn't as amusing as he thought. "Kankri, are you alright?" he asked softly, holding his plate even as his eyes focused on the other. "You seem out of it." He kept his voice soft and sweet, making sure to tone down his sex appeal for two seconds.  
Kankri snapped out of his revere, remembering that he still wasn't alone in his apartment. Now having resolved the crisis in his mind, to a certain extent there was still the matter of Karkat not wanting to do it again with him to worry about, he felt better. Not to mention, the only way Kankri could find out if Karkat wanted to do it again was to ask him. First question, how does one normally ask someone for sex? He bit the inside of his cheek, a really stupid idea coming into his head; though, it /was/ a way to tell if Karkat still wanted to have relations with him. He leaned forward towards Karkat on the counter and initiated his first kiss (that he could remember at least). 'Oh dear Lord I have no idea what I'm doing.'  
Karkat almost dropped his plate. Kankri kissed him... and it was sweet. He pressed his lips back to Kankri's savoring the soft warmth of his lips. He had thought about kissing the other, of stealing his first kiss, but this was so much better. Something offered so freely to him. He set his plate aside, a hand coming up to gently caress along his shoulder, feeling the soft cotton of that bright fucking red sweater he always wore.  
It was amazing. Kankri's mind, which had been running about a mile a minute, completely ceased functioning other than to input variations of "Oh my God, this feels amazing" into his train of thought. He understood why so many people did this now. He felt Karkat caress his shoulder and instinctively took it as an okay to touch. His hand came up and rested on the back of Karkat's neck, not to pull forward, but just to feel, brushing through the short hairs there. He was still feeling extremely hesitant and nervous, but those were in the back of his mind and very far away from the important thing, which was the person currently on his lips. When he felt Karkat's fingers slide under his sweater along his neck, Kankri felt a shiver down his spine. He gasped, breaking the kiss for a moment, trying to figure out what exactly had just happened. "What?" he asked a little breathlessly, his eyes opening to look at Karkat.  
Karkat knew that reaction. He knew it almost as well as his own racing heartbeat. "Its just a sensitive spot for you," he muttered, using both his hands to gently roll down his turtleneck, curious as his hand came up once again and brushed gentle fingers down his neck. "Kiss me… please." His voice had a little plea even as his fingers glided over his warm, soft neck again.  
Kankri couldn't stop the small noise that escaped his throat as Karkat touched his neck. A flush ran up onto his face as he heard himself. He had always been fairly uncomfortable with people touching his neck, one of the reasons he chose to wear a turtleneck no matter what season it was, and this would explain why. He leaned forward again, kissing the younger male. His other hand was resting on Karkat's hip while the hand that had been on Karkat's neck snaked up to run through the younger male’s shaggy black hair.  
Karkat’s legs shifted on the counter as he scooted closer to Kankri, his nails gently grazing the skin as he kissed him again. The other's little moans made chills rush down his spine. He never thought something like tempting this monk-like college boy would get him so... so fired up.  
Kankri's arms reached around Karkat's body to pull him closer and deepen the kiss. He was still trying to figure out the lips, teeth, face part of kissing, but Karkat seemed to have enough experience to cover his own complete cluelessness. He made another, slightly higher pitched, moan as the nails brushed his skin. "Karkat," he sighed into the kiss, not really sure where he was going with the statement of his name in the first place.  
Karkat heard his name, taking it as a chance to nip the other's lips and deepen the kiss, sliding his tongue into the other's mouth with ease, his eyes half closed as his fingers teased slowly over his neck. Pulling his lips back for a moment Karkat shifted and leaned forward, his lips meeting Kankri's soft neck, kissing and suckling there.  
If Kankri was shocked when Karkat put his /tongue/ into his /mouth/, he was ever more so when the younger boy pulled away. For one terrifying moment, Kankri thought he had done something wrong. However, when the other's lips met his neck, he melted. Kankri tilted his head back, eyes half lidded, letting Karkat do whatever it was he wanted to do. Instinctively, his hands ran down Karkat's thighs, his nails making friction between the material of the jeans and Karkat's legs.  
Karkat moaned against the other's neck, his nails doing that thing he loved. ‘/Fuck/, I didn't think he knew this stuff...’ he thought to himself as he suckled a little more eagerly, free hand caressing the other side. He felt himself harden in his jeans, knowing they were both a little more than worked up at the moment. He pressed his legs into the other's grip, teeth lightly running against Kankri's neck  
Kankri was /definitely/ more than aware of a very uncomfortable bulge in his pants now. It was extremely horrifying and exciting at the same time. His nails ran a little harder along Karkat's legs. Between gasps and moans Kankri managed to pant out, "Karkat - ah! - shouldn't we take this to a more... ahhh appropriate location?"  
Karkat nodded, nuzzling Kankri's neck as he gently nudge him to take a step back, slipping off the counter and managing to rub his entire body against the other's. "I wanna get you out of that sweater." He smirked a little, more than obviously excited for Kankri as he kissed him, a hand seeking out his to pull him along. "Hurry." It was practically a plea. It had been a long time since Karkat had gotten honestly worked up on his own terms and there was no way he was going to waste it.  
Kankri was more than happy to allow Karkat to pull him along, his mind now a jumbled mess of nothingness. He managed to get out a breathless, "Okay." He was a little anxious, though, particularly about taking his clothes off. He had never been confident about his body and his sweater was his last main defense. 'Remember, you've done this before now. If you could do it then, you can now. Even if you don't remember it,' he thought as he followed Karkat into the room. He looked to the younger to take the lead, not really sure what the next step would be.  
Karkat's hands slipped down, working up under the sweater to push it off and let it drop to the floor. His eyes took in the other's body. Sure it wasn't toned like his but he was still cute, and even better topless. His hands slid around, his mouth leaving small kisses along his chest and shoulders as he backed them up till they could move onto the bed. He never thought Kankri would relax this much.  
Kankri allowed the sweater to fall to the floor, feeling completely unprotected without it. But Karkat was continuing, so that was good. He followed Karkat onto the bed, realizing Karkat had put him on top. From what he knew (and that was very little) which position a partner was in was very important. "Karkat, are you sure I'm supposed to be on top? I mean, I know very little about this... can - I can't rememb- erm, have no clue about what position is supposed to do what, but are you sure?"  
Karkat nodded and licked his lips leaning up to kiss the other again. "I know what I'm doing," he muttered, and caressed Kankri through his jeans. "Just relax... we're not even naked yet." He shivered a bit, thinking a little too hard on the fact that Kankri was over him, and hard.  
All for him.  
Kankri's breath hitched as Karkat caressed him. He nodded and took a shuddery breath. He was going to do this right. Karkat was the most experienced, true, but Kankri prided himself on being a fast learner. "Okay, help me through this. Tell me what I should do," he murmured, leaning over and giving the side of Karkat's neck an experimental lick. He had never licked another person before. Karkat tasted perfect. There was no other word to describe it. He allowed his tongue and lips to move over Karkat's neck, more clumsily than Karkat had been with his own neck and much more slowly, but as deliberately as he could. To get a better angle at Karkat's neck, he slid his leg between Karkat's thighs, unconsciously rubbing against Karkat.  
Karkat's eyes fluttered and he moaned, rubbing himself up against the other's leg a bit eagerly as his fingers slid up through his hair and along his neck, panting softly. "Y-you're doing amazing... Oh gods, Kankri..." he muttered, fingers curling in his hair as his free hand fumbled with the other's pants, finally managing to get them unbuttoned. They were almost more trouble than they were worth. When the other licked and suckled at his neck more he whimpered. "Bite me... please... please Kankri..." he whimpered. He wanted to feel that harshness the other tended to hide unless a subject really triggered him  
Kankri's stomach fluttered as he heard Karkat's moans. Those were because of him. He paused at the other's request. "Bite you?" he asked, his mouth right next to Karkat's neck, his breath coming out in short bursts. "A-are you sure Karkat?" His eyebrows had quirked down, he was unsure if Karkat really wanted Kankri to /bite/ him. It seemed very foreign to him. Then again, most of this was.  
Karkat nodded his head rapidly, wiggling his hips against the other's knee as his own hand slid down into his pants and wrapped its fingers around the older boy's shaft. "Please fucking bite me," he begged even as his fingers worked around him, teasing up and down his length.  
Kankri moaned Karkat's name as he touched him. That was all the encouragement he needed. He bent back down and carefully began nipping at the skin. He didn't want to hurt Karkat, so he used his teeth carefully, nipping and gently pulling, following up with his tongue and lips. His hips bucked into Karkat's touch, the sensory information almost too much for him to take. He left Karkat's neck to give him another kiss on the lips. "What do I do next?" he asked earnestly, looking into the other's eyes.  
Karkat moaned eagerly at the nips. They didn't even hurt, but it was close enough. Kankri was being practically ferocious by the college boy's normal standard. He wiggled a little, pushing Kankri's pants down off his hips before trying to squirm out of his own. "Naked. We need naked... now."  
Kankri responded with something between and moan and a shy noise, his hands reaching down to help strip Karkat of his pants. His trademark flush rose to his face as he saw Karkat lying under him, fully naked. This time, however, he didn't hesitate. Mostly. He ran his nails up Karkat inner thighs slowly, watching to make sure Karkat was okay with it, and then allowed himself to caress Karkat's length. With his other hand, for no reason at all, he reached out and grabbed Karkat's hand, bringing it up to his mouth and kissing it, giving his wrist a slightly harder nip than he had the neck. "Karkat? Is this okay? You're okay?" he said, letting a finger move over Karkat's shaft.  
Karkat wasn't embarrassed at being naked anymore. There was no way he could be. But Kankri was certainty doing it for him. When he felt those nails on his inner thighs his head tilted back and he moaned Kankri's name, moaning for more as his own hands teased his shaft, licking his lips. "Ahh-hh." His breath caught in his throat a few times. "G-gods yes. I-I'm amazing... Fuck, you're amazing."  
Kankri took another breath, a smile on his lips. It fell, however, as something occurred to him. "Okay. I have to be honest with you. I cannot remember last night. Us doing... anything. I don't want to hurt you so you need to... um... walk me through this." Kankri winced, ready for the fury from Karkat for not remembering their (and his) first time.  
Karkat let a confused look slide over his face. He had forgotten about the rouse that had started all of this. /Shit/ Shit shit shit, was the only reason he was into this becuse he thought what the hell? "What do you mean last night?" he shifted a little, very distracted by the appealing man over him. "We've never done anything." He shifted his hips a bit, spreading his legs more. "You can't really hurt me, I'm pretty pro at this." And then he realized that probably hadn’t been the best response.  
It took a moment for Kankri to register what Karkat was telling him. "We've... never..." his eyes opened in shock. He fixed Karkat with an intense, panicked look. "What do you mean, we have never done anything? Didn't we... copulate last night?" His head was beginning to spin, and not in a particularly pleasant way, as his mind realized the implications of what he was doing if he was still a virgin.  
"Why the hell did you think that?" Karkat tried to keep the neediness out of his voice, but that sexy ass had just gotten him naked and he was so fucking ready right now. "I never said we did. But right now would be a great time to start." To make a point his hand slipped down and ran against the other.  
Kankri wracked his brain, trying to think if Karkat had actually confirmed that they had had sex. His heart stopped when he realized that Karkat had not said anything about the two of them having sex. Which meant, he was still a virgin. He had never done this before, and what exactly did he think he was doing in the first place. He let out a strangled moan as Karkat's hand ran over him. However, his barricades were being put back into place and he pulled back and away from the younger male, ignoring the lustful throbbing in his groin. "Oh God what are we- what am I doing?" he asked, now in a sitting position on the side of the bed, trying to sort out his jumbled thoughts.  
When the other sat on the side of the bed, Karkat made an utterly frustrated sound. He finally chose someone to want to fuck and this fucker was having a crisis... he felt his brain literally just make frustrated noises. "I thought you were fucking me. And I was really kinda into it." He gestured down at his obvious very /very/ excited body. "Why did we stop? I mean… you kissed me. And touched me… oh gods did you touch me." His voice drifted off longingly for a moment  
Kankri really couldn't bring himself to look at the other on the bed. His thoughts were moving too fast and were too disorganized. He knew that seeing the younger male looking so... excited wouldn't help anything. He was stuck in the middle of a raging torrent of emotion and had no idea which way to go. On the one hand, they had not had sex and he was still a virgin. A part of himself told him that he needed to protect the vow he made, now that he could; stop this nonsense and end it now. That was the part that feared rejection, built barriers between himself and people, and hated interacting with anything but text on a screen. On the other hand, a side of him had been allowed out that had never been tapped into before. He wanted Karkat, badly, and it wasn't only because he had thought he had already slept with him. No, he knew that he had let the idea bounce around his head on more than one occasion, being with him. He winced slightly at the foul language, "I know, Karkat, I- I'm sorry. I just... I was deeply /deeply/ confused. I had thought- well I suppose that doesn't matter." He took a shaky breath, "I think we should stop before this escalates further."  
Karkat stared at him. He was being... denied? What sick joke was life playing at now? "...Oh" He tried really hard to keep the hurt out of it. He didn't want to discourage Kankri from touching him again. But it did hurt him and he didn't feel like trying to lie about how he felt like he did most of the time. "Well then... I guess..." He rubbed his face for a moment and let out another frustrated sigh. "Fuck it, I'mma go jerk off in the shower." 

With that he slipped off the bed and ducked into the shower without another word.


	7. Karkat? How cuttteeeee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kankri rubbed his eyes, seeing her point. His brain wanted to reject her logic, but she DID have a VERY good point. "I just... I did not mean to "punk" him as you say - try to watch your terminology by the way that is a very triggering statement - I just panicked. This is very new and confusing and-" 'and I'm scared out of mind' he thought, but said, "and I am feeling a little perturbed by all of this." He sighed. "I just cannot believe he seduced me in only a few mome-" Kankri cut himself off and blinked, thinking he had put a piece of the puzzle together. "Porrim I think I know what's going on, and why Karkat has been acting this way to my advances," he said slowly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a bit :/ works being dumb and not giving me hours and i have like... 5 cons this summer? oh gods imma die. And kelly's been under the weather but here it is, chpt 7

Kankri felt a stab of self-loathing at the hurt in Karkat's tone. The fact that he had made Karkat sound like that was even more painful to him than he could have imagined. Kankri's eyes widened in shock at the other's brash announcement and couldn't help but watch him slip into the bathroom. He tried to take a few calming breaths, trying to steady himself from what had just happened. He picked up his sweater from the floor and pants from the bed. The sweater went on easily enough, but the pants were another story. He was still plenty aroused and he had to gingerly put on the pants. He prayed the hardness would subside soon as he listened to the sound of water beginning to run.  
Karkat was hurt and he knew it. He also knew what he was about to do was immature as all fuck. But… it would help his ego. The moment the water was hot enough, he slid into the shower and slipped a hand down himself, letting his voice echo off the walls. Fingers wrapped around his shaft and each sure stroke brought a moan from his throat. His eyes were half closed in a daze as the water kept his hand moving smoothly. "Oh… oh fuck..." He bit his lip for a moment, letting himself be a little mean. "Ohhh, Kankri."But even as he said it he thought of the other's lips... his touch... and the next utterance was real. "K-kankri please..." he moaned, hips jerking forward against his hand, his voice and noises echoing loudly over the water.  
Kankri started a little at the first noise or two made by Karkat. At first he thought he could ignore it. He even got his body to not react to the first two or three moans coming from his bathroom. As it continued, however, Kankri was finding the sounds coming from the shower harder and harder to ignore. At the mention of his name, Kankri's attempts to ignore Karkat faded away. He clutched the side of the bed, listening with rapt attention. Karkat said his name again and it was all he could do to stop from moaning himself. He settled for a low groan and tightening his hold on the bed, his own untended to body screaming at him. His breaths were becoming more and more shallow. Though his barricade was back up, it was cracked, and what Karkat was doing in the shower certainly wasn't helping Kankri maintain it.  
Karkat felt his orgasm rise, his fingers moving eagerly up and down his own cock until it washed over him, his head falling back against the wall as he called out for Kankri. His knees shook, foot slipping just right to send him crashing to the tiled floor. It hurt a little, but not enough to make the utter pleasure that was going through him for those moments stop.  
Kankri's head snapped to look at the door as he heard the crash. A wave of panic and fear washed over him and he rushed to the door. He rapped at it quickly. "Karkat? Karkat, are you alright?" he asked, too concerned to even bother to hide the worry (and arousal) in his voice.  
Karkat sat in the shower floor, panting as water fell in his lap but not high enough to get his own mess off his chest. He heard Kankri call but he didn't answer. He was better, but not alright. It hurt his feeling that the other didn't want him after he offered himself so freely. After the way Kankri had touched him and kissed him like he was important. He waited for Kankri to just shut up and go away  
When Kankri didn't get a response he panicked a little. Not caring about privacy, he opened the door and rushed in. "Karkat," his face was pulled into a worried frown as he went over to the tub, "I heard the crash; did you fall? Are you hurt?" Kankri questioned Karkat as he checked him over to see if he was okay. In his panic, he could look past the fact that Karkat was naked in his tub. His mind was too busy trying to make sure that he was safe.  
Karkat raised a brow. "I'm fine. Just came hard is all.” He gestured at his chest which was now smeared with his own mess. He smirked grimly, watching the others face for a moment. He needed a reaction. He wanted to see the other blush... or want him. Something. Anything  
After hearing that Karkat was okay Kankri's mind finally focused on what was the picture in front of him really looked like. His face flushed again (Kankri was positive that all the blood rushing to his face lately couldn't be good for his health) and made a strangled sound in the back of his throat. His own member throbbed at the site, if only to remind Kankri that it was still there and highly disapproved of his choices so far. "Right. I'm glad you're not hurt," Kankri fumbled awkwardly, his eyes not fixated on a random tile in the bathroom, "I'm sorry for rushing in here like that. I- I panicked a bit, I suppose."  
There it was, the reaction. The fumbling clumsy shyness making the older man’s eyes dart away from his body. "You can make it up to me by showering with me," he offered innocently as he slowly pushed himself to his feet. His eyes were half closed as his water ran down the drain. "Please? I jacked off so I'm... I'm better. Swear I’ll be good and play nice."  
Kankri blinked; he was totally thrown off by the offer. He had expected Karkat to be angry with him, or scornful, or maybe push him away because of his idiocy. The last thing he had predicted was that Karkat might still want to be close to him at the moment. "T-take a shower... with each other?" he reiterated Karkat's statement as a question, his face growing a darker shade of red at the idea.  
"Yeah. Get naked and get in, Kankri." For a brief moment he moved behind the shower curtain. Then he peeked out behind it again. "Hurry up," he demanded softly before going back under the water, cleaning off his chest. He didn’t want Kankri to be dressed. Or far away.  
Kankri hesitated only for a moment before starting to strip off his sweater. "Okay," he murmured to the shower curtain. This was probably a bad idea, he knew, but at the moment he didn't care. There was no way for Kankri to just give up this chance, even if his virginity said to walk away. He took off his pants and stepped into the shower, angling his back towards Karkat. He was acutely aware that he was still embarrassingly hard, and dripping with precum thanks to Karkat's little sound show. He was not sure how Karkat would react to it and did not want to mess up their strange relationship anymore than he already had. However, he also had no idea how to take care of it without Karkat noticing what he was doing.  
Karkat pretended to wash his hair when he was in fact just watching the other get naked again. He had seen thousands of naked men. Not a thing of pride, simply a fact of his life. But he liked looking at Kankri. Not because he was 'oh so super fucking deliciously hot' but because he didn't look bad at all, yet seemed to actually want to stay clothed. When the other managed to get into the shower with him he took his shoulders and forced him to switch places so Kankri could stand under the water. He could see the others arousal, and it made him smile.  
‘So… he does want me...’ His thoughts reassured him as he wrapped his arms around the slightly taller male, hugging him for a moment before letting his hand skim down. "Here… lemme help," he muttered softly. "Kinda my fault." Even as he spoke he slid his hands over the other's shaft, expecting to be pushed away again.  
Kankri gasped a little as Karkat switched their positions. The sensation of the hot water paired with the fact that he was standing next to a naked, dripping wet Karkat did not help his "situation" down on his lower half. He wanted- needed to relieve himself. Badly. He was completely unsure how to do it with Karkat standing /right behind/ him. He only had a moment to try and collect his thoughts and make a plan when Karkat wrapped his arms around him. He stiffened, unsure what was going on and feeling a little panicked. Then he felt Karkat's hand run lower. He held in a moan and put a hand on the wall in front of him. "That's really not necessary, Karkat. It was- mph- it was my fault, really. You're not obligated," his voice was breathless, his own lust-filled tone contradicting his words.  
"I know I’m not. I want to,” Karkat muttered, resting his own forehead against the other's spine as he stroked him. His teeth found his own lip thinking of sex he had wanted and had almost gotten, even as he just stroked the other's cock. Kankri wanted this. Wanted him. Everything about his body screamed it at Karkat. He knew the signs, breathless need in his voice, the way his spine stiffened and then relaxed when Karkat took hold of him. And maybe... Maybe Karkat just wanted to be close for the moment. If he couldn't actually have sex with him... he could at least be close to him like this. He could play at having a lover who hadn’t paid for him. That he didn’t have to fake attraction with.  
Kankri really couldn't believe what he was hearing. However, the pleasure he was currently feeling proved that Karkat was indeed being truthful when he said he wanted to do this. He shivered even as the hot water poured down his body. The pleasure from being touched, actually touched, by another person was intoxicating. He moaned loudly, totally unable to contain it any longer.  
"Karkat."  
His hips bucked into the touch of the younger boy, his face and half lidded eyes tilting up into the shower's spray, letting it run down his neck and shoulders.  
Karkat closed his eyes. No one moaned his name like that. Like they actually meant it. His fingers quickened, free hand slipping a bit lower to slid up along his thigh. He wanted the other to feel release, to have pleasure wash over him. He wanted to give that to Kankri. He leaned up a bit to nuzzle the other's neck, water washing through his hair.  
Kankri unconsciously tilted his head back further to nuzzle Karkat back. His hand came around and took Karkat's free one, his thumb making frenzied patterns across Karkat's palm. It was more than the sexual pleasure that was driving Kankri’s actions now; it was the ecstasy of being close to Karkat. He hadn't realized that his desire to be close (physically, mentally, emotionally, you name it) to Karkat was so strong, but it was. A string of nonsense words were running from his mouth at a mile a minute: "Oh my god Karkat please don't stop, keep going. You are so perfect. Please just don't- oh my god." Eventually all that he was able to do was moan and buck against Karkat's hand, his volume escalating as he reached his climaxing point. He finally came, letting out a half-suppressed noise of ecstasy. His head rolled forward, and he was panting heavily. His legs quivered, wanting to give way to the surge of pleasure that had broken over his body.  
Karkat stroked him, trembling when the other actually rubbed his hand. No one touched his hands. Never like that. It was... sweet. He wasn't aroused. Well, he was, but not like ready to go again. But his body trembled because he felt like the other might actually care even as he listened to him babble, knowing he was on the edge. Karkat let the other peak, watched his face as he came and his body shook. He really was a screamer, and that was beyond cute. He shifted his grip, on hands drifting up to hold him around the waist. "Do you wanna sit?" he asked, speaking softly.  
Kankri nodded his head, trying to get his breathing back to normal. He was still feeling rather float-y (was floaty even a word? He didn't know but it was the best way to describe what he was feeling) and the reality of what he just did hadn't exactly caught up to him. He still held the other's hand, finding a kind of comfort from it. He sunk to the porcelain ground, using his free hand to try and push his sopping wet hair from his eyes to get a look at Karkat from over his shoulder. His face had its (now becoming regular) embarrassed flush to it again. "I have to apologize to you for this, Karkat," he said, feeling and looking sheepish.  
Karkat shook his head and slipped down with him nuzzling his skin. "For what?" he asked honestly. "You can apologize for not fucking me. But that’s about all there is," he muttered. And that was how he saw it. Everything else? It had been great. The kissing. The touching. The desperate grabs and touches. All of it had been amazing. Especially the fact they were (oddly) holding hands  
"Watch the language," Kankri chided. "I have to apologize for this because that was an," he faced forward, coughing awkwardly, "embarrassing display on my part. I am finding that I don't have the hold on my emotions that I thought I did. My behavior has been shameful, and erroneously triggering." He put his free hand to his face. "I'm, supposed to be more in control of these kinds of... urges," he murmured, more to himself than Karkat, "I really don't know what has gotten into me today."  
"Same thing that got into me." Karkat smiled a little at his own sex joke. "Nothing. Chill your shit, Kankri. It’s fine," he muttered, even as the heat in the water started to ebb. "Nhhhh… Cold water, I'm out," he grumbled, and nuzzled Kankri once more before getting up and stepping out as if they had done nothing more than just shower, even as he started drying himself. "If we ever have sex, I assure you, you're going to remember it."  
Kankri blushed, but was grateful for the chilled water that was now running on him. "I'm sure I would," he murmured, standing. Louder he added, "I'm going to clean up." He hadn't taken an actual shower yet today and it would give him time to cool down and think. He ignored his body's displeasure at the temperature of the water and quickly lathered his hair. He was thankful that Karkat seemed to be fine with the fact that they had not actually had intercourse, even after Kankri led him on in that way. What was troubling him now was the fact that he couldn't get the idea of having sex with Karkat out of his head. The idea was sticking and he did not know how he felt about it. The "if we ever had sex" comment that Karkat made told him that the boy was still open to the idea... but... there was the question of his vow to think of. He made a note to call Porrim about it once he got out of the shower. He sighed and started to rinse off his hair, still completely puzzled about his emotions.  
Karkat padded out into the living room, towel around his waist as he got his pancakes off the counter. They were cold and he sighed, shoving them into the oven and waiting for them to be warm again. He hated the microwave; it made bread taste weird. But as he glanced at the counter he thought of kissing Kankri... or of Kankri kissing him. Was that his first? Maybe. It was awesome, whatever it was.  
Kankri finished with his shower and dried his hair with a towel. He didn't want Karkat to know he had gotten out of the shower yet, so he skipped using the blow-drier for now. As much as it pained him to just let it dry however it wanted, he had more pressing matters to attend to. He slipped on the clothes that had been discarded onto the bathroom floor. He then snuck out of the bathroom and went quickly over to the closet, grabbing his phone off the nightstand. He slipped into his spot at the side of the closest and called Porrim. He flicked his damp hair out of his face and hoped Porrim would pick up quickly.  
Porrim picked up the phone. "Hey, hun. That took a while. Did you take my advice?" she asked with a playful smile, cooking her lunch at that moment, the phone cradled against her shoulder  
"No. Well... yes. Kind of, but not really," Kankri stumbled over his answer, not sure how to explain the situation. "Porrim, I found out that Karkat and I did not actually have sexual intercourse the other night." He winced as he remembered the heart-stopping realization he went through. "I jumped to unfounded conclusions."  
Porrium started laughing so hard the phone fell. She covered her mouth, reaching down to bring it back to her ear. "Oh god, what did you do that was kind of? And you hadn't? You gave up your virginity on your own? Awwwwww, you must like this boy."  
"No. /No./ Porrim. I'm still a virgin and this is not funny," Kankri hissed, feeling nettled by her reaction. "We started to have intercourse... but... I... may have halted the process." He could barely get out the last part, feeling completely ridiculous about having to talk about the mess he had gotten himself into.  
"Wait, you stopped? Why?" She was honestly confused at this. She loved sex. It was great. "Did he not like how you were doing it? I bet you were doing fine, Kanni.”  
"No, Porrim it wasn't a matter of liking it. It was... I learned from Karkat that my virginity was still intact. That changed everything. It meant that /I/ had to make the decision to break my vow. Before I knew, I felt like that decision had already been made for me. My past had decided what it wanted to do and my future had to deal with it. Now... I truly have to take that leap, one that I'm not sure I should even try to take. There can be a difference between what one /wants/ to do and what one /should/ to do." He shut his eyes tightly. "I'm just not sure if this /is/ one of those times."  
"Okay, so when you thought you had already broken it, other than your obvious panic at the idea of you not remembering it, was it a bad thing to have slept with him?" She was obviously going to have to lead his rational by the hand  
"Well..." Kankri said slowly, turning the question over in his mind. Yes, at first he had been mortified at the prospect of having slept with Karkat, but after the initial shock it had not been horrific. In fact, he had become used to the idea shockingly quickly.  
"...No. It was not a bad thing."  
"And did that boy seem keen on having you close to him like that? Ever push you away at all during your almost sex?"  
"...No," Kankri admitted after a pause, biting his bottom lip. "He seemed fine with the closeness..." His brain was starting to catch the drift of what Porrim was saying, just very slowly and reluctantly.  
"So maybe you should of just done it. Maybe he wants you guys to be closer. And then you basically punked him." She ended with something that would count as triggering, but Kankri was a social justice idiot sometimes.  
Kankri rubbed his eyes, seeing her point. His brain wanted to reject her logic, but she DID have a VERY good point. "I just... I did not mean to "punk" him as you say - try to watch your terminology by the way that is a very triggering statement - I just panicked. This is very new and confusing and-" 'and I'm scared out of mind' he thought, but said, "and I am feeling a little perturbed by all of this." He sighed. "I just cannot believe he seduced me in only a few mome-" Kankri cut himself off and blinked, thinking he had put a piece of the puzzle together. "Porrim I think I know what's going on, and why Karkat has been acting this way to my advances," he said slowly.  
"What are you talking about? Oh, is that his name? Karkat? How cuttteeeee," she cooed over the phone. "I'm still in shock that you made advances."  
Kankri mentally kicked himself for letting Porrim know that piece of information.  
"Yes, that is his name, and yes, I did make advances. However, I am sure I know what is happening. Perhaps two weeks ago I made a comment that Karkat would not be able to seduce me. He said that he would take that challenge. I thought he was joking, however, I see now that he was proving my statement wrong. It all makes sense."  
He felt a pit of misery form in his stomach. Of course that's what Karkat was doing. When he had started to make his (albeit confused) advances, Karkat had seen the opportunity to win the challenge Kankri has accidently issued.  
"This entire thing was my fault," he groaned, trying to sound annoyed by his realization and not hopelessly crushed by it.  
"You do know how fucking ridiculous that sounds, right?" Porrim asked, leaning against her counter. "So you're saying you made advances and he tried to sleep with you over a random challenge? Honey, people don't work like that." She was trying hard to be the voice of reason  
"Language," Kankri said, listlessly, "and having sexual intercourse with people is what he does for a living. I am sure he has less of a problem with casual sex than I do. Particularly if it is to show me I was wrong-" he froze, realizing that he had just told Porrim about Karkat's questionable occupation. "Forget I said anything," he tried to cover quickly.  
Porrim was silent for a moment, almost dropping the phone again out of shock. "You tried to sleep with a whore? Kankri, you should fuck for love, hunny. I told you, I can set you up with a perfectly decent guy who will do it for free."  
"No, Porrim!" Kankri sat up so quickly in his panic that he hit his head on the shelf above him. He let out a yell, but quickly shut himself up, rubbing the top of his head. "No, no, no. It isn't anything like that. Karkat is my roommate who just happens to have an occupation as a prostitute. I am not one of his clients. Also, language." He felt something akin to protectiveness well up in him and added, "For the record, Karkat /is/ a /perfectly/ decent guy."  
"Then get out of that fucking closet and stop hiding the fact that you want to be close up and personal with him. It’s call a crush, and you have one for him. Have fun, talk to you later." She hung up the phone. He would hide and make excuses all day if he could, and he needed to man up.  
Karkat poked his head into the room, not seeing Kankri and shrugging, letting his towel fall away as he opened the closet to get pants... only to find his roomie.  
"Ummm...?"  
"Porrim no, don't-" he nearly cursed when she hung up. The closet opening distracted him from doing that, however. The problem with living alone for so long is that one forgets that closets are an everyday use object and will probably be used in the mornings. Also, Karkat had no clothes on. He blushed and ducked his head to look at the floor. He opened his mouth to respond and realized there was no excuse for his position. "Um... hello, Karkat. Pardon me, I forgot that you would need to get your clothes from here," he moved to leave the closet, keeping his gaze on the ground. "Let me just get out of your way."  
Karkat smiled and raised a brow. "I thought you were already out of the closet." He reached out casually to block his path. "You don't have to hide from me. I already told you that it’s chill that you don't wanna fuck me." With that he took his jeans and moved out into the room, pulling on the undies he hadn’t worn the night before, followed by his jeans.  
"Hiding? What gave you the impression that I was hiding?" Kankri asked, standing up and giving Karkat a slightly nervous laugh. "And language," he added in a warning tone. He now knew (or thought he knew) the reasons behind Karkat's actions and wanted to let Karkat know that it was fine and he would not be advancing on him further. "Karkat, about that... I understand why you've been acting the way you have been to my advances. You have more than shown me that you can seduce me now. You don't need to try and prove it further. So... yes, you win I suppose." He gave Karkat a strained smile, feeling like ripping his own heart out so it would stop hurting. "I will not take what happened personally and I will refrain from making my... frankly awkward advances in the future."  
Dumbfounded. That was the word for this feeling. Sure that had been part of the plan but the moment the other had kissed him on the counter it had clicked. He knew he wanted to be with this guy and all his yammering and rules. But unlike Kankri, he could admit it. He fastened his pants calmly, walked over to Kankri, put a hand on the back of his neck and kissed that oblivious fucker deeply on the lips. When he did pull back for air he smiled a little.  
"I get paid to have sex. When I choose to have it, it’s because I actually want the person I'm with." He gently patted the other's chest and moved towards the door. "So please. Advance. Advance over me like a tank. I'd love to surrender my country to you."  
It was Kankri's turn to be dumbfounded. He had been completely positive he had been right. Of course, when he made up his mind he was /always/ positive he was right. His mind was completely fragmented as Karkat kissed him. Completely speechless, he watched Karkat leave the room. His hand went up to his lips. He stood there for a minute, wrestling with himself. Porrim was right, he did have feelings for the younger male and, somehow amazingly, Karkat felt something for him back. His mind could give no rationale or excuse that could negate that fact. He finally moved, his face becoming determined.  
"Fuck it," he murmured and walked into the next room.


	8. Cause the only thing I had to follow it up with was jokes about wanting to capture my flag.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kankri walked over to Karkat. "Well, I've made it over the borders," he said, carefully stepping into Karkat's personal space, "I think I have the main forces covered," he placed his arms on either side of Karkat, "and I'm hoping they'll consider my offer of becoming one with me," he leaned in so that their lips were only a couple inches away from each other. He ignored his own embarrassment at such a brazen (and silly) statement, and prayed that Karkat would understand what he meant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo So sorry for the delay. I've been planning to actually go and see my moirail kelly -yays in the distance- we plot better in person. here you are though, where our two bumbling heroes actually do teh sehx

Karkat smiled a bit as he sat at the counter, sipping his juice and waiting. Either Kankri would be back in the closet or he would have something to say in return. He reaaallllyyyy hoped the other would say something back. That he liked him. Or that he was going to invade his country. Though it was very unlikly the other would make bad jokes like had just done.  
Oh gods had that ruined his chance? Who the hell says things like that?  
“Like a tank? Gods, I’m so fucking stupid."  
"I don't know, I rather liked that line," Kankri said from the doorway, a small smile on his lips. There was something relieving about having made up his mind. He was still completely terrified about what he was going to do, but he was not going to turn back. “It was creative.”  
"Oh good. Cause the only thing I had to follow it up with was jokes about wanting to capture my flag." Karkat glanced up at the other one and his little smile. "How are the advancements going?"  
Kankri walked over to Karkat. "Well, I've made it over the borders," he said, carefully stepping into Karkat's personal space, "I think I have the main forces covered," he placed his arms on either side of Karkat, "and I'm hoping they'll consider my offer of becoming one with me," he leaned in so that their lips were only a couple inches away from each other. He ignored his own embarrassment at such a brazen (and silly) statement, and prayed that Karkat would understand what he meant.  
"We need to stop these analogies now," Kankri said, putting his own arms around Karkat, "They are going to get out of hand." He was feeling breathless at having Karkat so close and feeling a little giddy. He took a breath to gather his thoughts. It was time to test his own resolve on his decision. He bent over and gave Karkat's neck a kiss. After what had happened earlier, he would understand if Karkat did not want to have sex, so he did nothing more than kiss it. He hoped it was subtle enough that Karkat could ignore it if he wanted, but blatant enough that Karkat could take the offer if he wished.  
Karkat chuckled at the other saying they were out of hand. They really were. But that kiss on his neck... it made him pause. A soft happy sigh slipped from his lips as he shifted, a leg coming up and hooking around Kankri's hips to pull him closer. That was his acceptance as his fingers grazed the other's neck. He loved the idea Kankri was offering, and there was no way he was turning back now.  
Kankri smiled nervously into Karkat's neck as he was pulled closer. A flutter of excitement budded in his stomach. So they were really going to do this. He placed more kisses on Karkat's neck, much less chaste this time. He recalled that Karkat liked biting and he gave the other an experimental nip, just to make sure he was remembering correctly.  
Karkat's body jerked a little as he felt the other nip him, fingers sliding up though Kankri's hair as he gave a soft little "Ahh." He liked that a lot, and he knew what Kankri liked. His fingers slid down to his neck, nails slowly sliding over the skin.  
Kankri moaned at the touch, his breath hitching a little. He continued to put small bites and licks over Karkat's neck. It was unpracticed and a little clumsy, but already slightly less awkward than when he first tried it. One hand slipped down to Karkat's lower back and the other went up to twine in his dark locks. The attention to his neck was making him groan in pleasure. He tilted Karkat's head up gently and ducked his head to start sucking and biting around Karkat's collarbone.  
Karkat shuddered, fingers trembling as Kankri moved onto his collarbone. The way the other was going after his skin, unpracticed and unsure… it was actually really hot. Kankri was clueless, but he was trying to actually please him, and that was amazing.  
"O-oh Kankri."  
Kankri felt a surge of arousal as the other moaned his name. He was very glad he was doing /something/ right, at least. He went back up to kiss Karkat, enjoying his taste. His hand went from the back of Karkat's neck and captured one of Karkat's hands. He didn't know why, but he had this urge to hold Karkat's hand and never let it go. Hell, he wanted to hold /Karkat/ and never let him go. No one had captured his mind like Karkat had, no one made him feel the way that Karkat did, and he wasn't going to let that get away from him. He laced their fingers together with another moan.  
Karkat kissed him deeply before pulling back and slipping off the stool. He never let go of Kankri's hand though. His own breathes were a bit shallow and a little smile was on his lips.  
"Take two."  
He tugged the other back into the bedroom, kissing him deeply again and again, the bed still tousled from their almost sex.  
"Right," Kankri said, blushing, "I am so sorry... about before." He really was. Sometimes he just looked at his past choices and wondered if he was even the same person. Though he had to admit, the thought of giving away his virginity was still terrifying. He gave Karkat's hand a squeeze, trying to reassure himself.  
Karkat squeezed his hand back and nuzzles the other's neck. "I can wait through as many takes as you need," he muttered, kissing the other and gently pushing him back onto the bed, hands gently nudging the other's sweater off.  
Kankri helped take the sweater off. He smiled, relieved and touched by Karkat's words. Most of the time when he began acting irrational others would just ignore him or berate him about it. The understanding Karkat gave was amazing. However, no matter how much Karkat was forgiving of his awkward problems, he still felt like he needed to make up for last time. It was time to get proactive. He pushed Karkat onto the bed, straddling him.  
He took a second to take in the picture below him. The younger male was absolutely beautiful. All slender and muscle and a fierceness that told you he was used to taking care of himself. Just the fact that he was about to give himself to someone as perfect as Karkat made his groin ache with lust. He bent down over Karkat to kiss him.  
Karkat moaned and shivered when he was pushed down like that. Just directness from Captain Awkward Blogger was really hot. Karkat's eyes raked over the other boy in nothing but his jeans. His hands came up, resting on the other's thighs as they kissed, his teeth gently grazing the other's lips.  
Kankri moaned at the other's kiss, however his mind had kicked back in and was freaking out a little. Though he had taken the initiative to straddle Karkat he really had no idea what to do now that he was up there. He realized with a start that, because of his position, their lower halves were in direct contact with each other. The revelation made him curious. He slowly and deliberately pushed his jeaned hips down onto Karkat's, grinding them together. The friction the action created made him gasp against Karkat's lips. He glanced up at Karkat, checking to make sure that what he just did was okay.  
Karkat felt Kankri move his hips against his, and his eyes fluttered at the spike of pleasure, his own pushing up to catch more of that sensation. He kissed Kankri again, fingers running from the other’s neck down his back, the flat of his hand nudging the other's lower back to make him do it again.  
Kankri gasped again as Karkat pushed up to meet his hips. Apparently he was more than okay with that, and Kankri was happy to oblige. He responded enthusiastically, moving his hips down more forcefully onto Karkat.  
"Oh god, Karkat," he muttered along with a string of words that made no sense together, his voice filled with lust.  
Karkat felt that amazing tight warmth in his groin and made a noise to let the other know he wanted him. His hands skillfully helped Kankri mostly out of his pants without really moving his hips away, though he squirmed at his own. He couldn’t get his pants off at this angle.  
"K-kankriii...”  
Kankri felt the other strip him of his pants and couldn't help but admire the dexterity it took to do that without breaking most of the contact between them.  
"Yes?" he answered, confused and clueless for a moment. He put the pieces together after a second, though. "Oh, right. Sorry about that Karkat. Let me." He moved to undo Karkat's pants quickly. He pulled them down and off the boy, only having to lean up once to get them off fully. While he was up he managed to kick his own pants off as well. He turned back to Karkat. "Okay, what... what do I do?" he asked, feeling uncertain. This was around the point they had gotten to before and Kankri had no other experiences to call on and he was NOT going to mess this up by trying to pretend he had skills he certainly did not have.  
Karkat reached over the bed to grab for his pants, pulling a little bottle of lube out of his pants pocket and pouring some onto his hand. It only took a moment before he was wrapping his fingers around the other’s shaft, making it slick. "You push this," He emphasized it with a slow stroke, "into me." He muttered, shifting his legs onto each side of the other. "Please.”  
Kankri let out a whimper of pleasure when Karkat touched him. The feeling of the lube was... odd, to say the least. It wasn't unpleasant, though, and he had more important things to worry about. He bit down on his lip a bit. Here they were again. It was now or never. The older male had one last panic attack, the prudish side of him telling him to stop what he was doing. However, Karkat's use of the word "please" pushed him back over the edge. It sent a shiver down his spine and he nodded.  
"Alright. If you are completely sure about this," he finally said with a shaky exhale. He positioned himself awkwardly over Karkat, "Let me know if I start doing anything that you find disturbing, discomforting, painful, or unwanted, Karkat. As you know I have never done this before and I will most likely need to be told if I am doing something wrong. Feel free to correct me at any point because I want you to enjoy this as much as I am." Kankri was starting to ramble, both out of nervousness and subconsciously trying to prolong the inevitable.  
He started rambling and it was cute, but Karkat was so fucking hard and impatient now. He reached up and kissed Kankri deeply, at the same time his hand leading Kankri's shaft to his hole, pushing his hips up against him. He needed to distract the other. He wanted him so badly.  
"Please... please, I want you. Don't worry, I won’t let you hurt me."  
Kankri moaned again and nodded, "Right. Okay." He took a breath and lowered himself onto Karkat. The feeling of Karkat around him was indescribable. He let out a throaty groan and slid himself in a little more, trusting Karkat to tell him if he should stop. He took a shaky breath, pausing for a moment to collect himself. Then he gave his hips a thrust, groaning into the movement.  
Karkat felt the other pushing into him and bit back any pain he felt his hips rose and he pushed himself more onto Kankri. Moans spilled from his lips, though he barely managed to stop a gasp when the other just thrust inside.  
"Ohh, fuck," he cursed, but it was a moan as well. An amazing, delicious feeling was already washing over him. He had /chosen/ to have sex, and it was feeling amazing. "Kankri…"  
Kankri panted heavily, his own arousal making him breathless. So /this/ was why so many people made such a big deal about sex. It felt ridiculously amazing. He felt himself burn with lust as Karkat moaned his name under him.  
"Karkat," he growled sensually, moving his hips faster, his lust breaking down his inhibitions and making him more aggressive. His hand reached out to grab Karkat's as he did, lacing their fingers together and giving the hand a small squeeze.  
Karkat held his hand tight, moaning aloud, panting and shuddering as he was fucked, his legs resting up against hips as he took Kankri in. The other was being so aggressive, his growl making the younger boy moan for more, loving it.  
"Ohh…oh fuck… Kankri don't stop…please, please."  
He was rambling.  
Kankri had absolutely no intention of stopping. His eyes were locked on the boy below him, watching his beautiful face with adoration. He pushed a little harder, but mostly kept at the pace he was in, feeling comfortable with the sensation. Karkat felt so perfect around him. He looked down Karkat's body, taking in his frame and realizing that Karkat was completely unattended to. He tilted his head, wondering if that was usual or if he should do something to help it. He knew that, were it him, he would want some alleviation. His pace only slowing a little, Kankri let go of Karkat's hand. He hated doing it, but he needed his other for practical balancing/holding himself up purposes. Besides, he hoped Karkat would be more enthused with this new use for his hand anyway. As he thrusted he curled his hand around the shaft, stroking it in time to the movement of his hips.  
Karkat's back arched. That was a new sensation even for him. His clients didn't think of his needs. But being fucked and touched at the same time made him cry out, hips bucking.  
"Oh fuck! Fuckfuckfuck." He was cussing but he just couldn’t find any other words as the other made his body tingle inside and out. "Don't stop! Oh gods... fuck" His hand gripped the wrist of the arm Kankri was using to hold himself up as his back arched more and more. "I-I’m getting fucking close…”  
Kankri was too busy to even think about chastising Karkat for his language. "Me too," he gasped. He realized with a slight jolt of panic that he had no idea what to do when he came.  
"Karkat, mph, what exactly do I do. Should I pull out or not... or what?" He did not want to offend Karkat in any way. Honestly, he had no preference to which Karkat wanted him to do. He just cared about which the younger male felt more comfortable with.  
"D-don’t you dare p-pull o-out..." Karkat groaned and shuddered, his hips jerking as he cried out, coming hard, body shaking. "Oh fuck, /Kankri/!" he almost howled. His eyes were screwed shut as he felt his pleasure wrack his body.  
At the sight of Karkat's pleasure, Kankri lost control too. His own scream joined Karkat's howl, yelling out Karkat's name. He felt himself come inside Karkat, the sensation feeling so amazing, so /right/. He slowed down his thrusts, making noises of pleasure between pants. After he had slowed to a stop, he pulled out of Karkat carefully. Once he was out he rolled off of Karkat to lie next to him on the bed. His breathing was heavy and came in small bursts, and he felt like he had just run a marathon. Of course, it was the most pleasurable marathon he had ever experienced.  
"That was... amazing."  
Karkat smiled a little, smugly, and rolled onto his side, snuggling up against Kankri and nuzzling his neck.  
"Mhmmm..." He smiled a little. "You were spectacular. Thank you." He settled against Kankri, quite happy they had just wasted a good portion of the day having sexual-like times.  
Kankri blushed at the complement. He positioned his arms around Karkat, letting out a cough to hide his embarrassment. "No, I should be thanking you, really." He nuzzled his head into Karkat's hair. "You were wonderful, not to mention uncharacteristically patient with me. So thank you. How do you feel? Nothing hurts?" He looked down at Karkat, his face showing his concern.  
Karkat kissed him deeply. "Relax, hun. I'm good." He smirked a bit and snuggled with him. "I feel amazing. A bit peckish.” I think my pancakes are still on the counter, he thought to himself.  
Kankri sighed into the kiss and when Karkat eased his worry he smiled. When Karkat mentioned being hungry he went into action almost immediately. Without thinking, he slipped out from under the bed, pausing only for a moment to pull on his jeans, and went into the kitchen.  
"Be right back," he said. Once in the kitchen he looked at the pancakes. Stone cold again. He raised an eyebrow at them, haughtily judging them like a king would a dirty hobo, and threw them in the trash. He checked the bowl to see that yes, he had just enough batter left. Also, fortunately for him, the griddle was still on. He chided himself of poor kitchen safety as he began to make the new pancakes.  
Karkat blinked and listened to the thunk of something in the trash and other kitchen-y noises, as well as the hiss of the grill. Had Kankri left the grill on? Oooooooooo. He smirked a little and laid down on the bed, comfortable. "Where the hell did you go?" he called, curious. He also realized that Kankri was wearing jeans and no undies. It was beyond amusing.  
"The kitchen. There are not all that many places to go in this apartment!" Kankri called back playfully. Once he finished making Karkat's food he flicked off the griddle and grabbed the plate with the cakes on them and the syrup, bringing it into the bedroom. He handed them to Karkat.  
"Don't worry about getting the syrup on the sheets. I think I'm going to have to wash them anyway," he said, giving the messy bed a quick once-over as he climbed back into it. The jeans were uncomfortable, to say the least, so he pulled them off again. He couldn't help but feel self-conscious about being naked, even if he had just slept with Karkat, so he grabbed his boxers from the bed and slipped those on in place of the jeans.  
Karkat was a bit surprised.  
"Oh gods, you brought me food in bed. You are my favorite person in the world, " he said honestly, taking the plate and pouring syrup all over them before starting in on them, snuggling up to Kankri even if the other insisted upon putting on clothes. "Mmm... I think I count this as a happy moment." He smiled a little, looking at Kankri.  
Kankri was pleased by the other's obvious happiness. He had honestly thought Karkat was expecting him to get him the food. "Well, of course, why else would I get up from the bed just after you mentioned being hungry?" Kankri asked, looking amused and confused at the same time. Kankri put an arm around Karkat, "Though I do agree, this moment is extremely enjoyable."  
Karkat practically tried to cuddle into the other's lap. "I dunno. To get a drink or something? Maybe bring me my cold pancakes? You made me /new/ pancakes." He smiled and kissed the other, tasting like maple syrup.  
Kankri smiled at the kiss, savoring the taste. Once he pulled back felt his nose wrinkle in distaste of the idea of bringing Karkat those pancakes.  
"I think you deserve more than old pancakes. They were sitting there for how long now?" Kankri tried to look around at the clock, but the nightstand was on Karkat's side of the bed and he did not want to move from his current position to crane and see.  
Karkat twisted his head around and looked at the clock. “I dunno, like... it’s almost 4." He smiled and nuzzled up against Kankri. He took a moment and kissed him once more before going back to his food happily. "When is class tomorrow?"  
Kankri flushed, realizing how long they'd actually been having sex. Even with the emotional problems, showers, and phone calls, the time having sex must have been extremely long, hours even. "My first class is at eight," he responded automatically, "Also I may be a little late. I'm running for a position on the student government role and the results from the election will be counted up tomorrow." He felt his heart quicken with excitement. He had some really good ideas for the secretarial role he was running for, things that could actually make a change around the college. He was anxious and excited about the next day, hoping for the best.  
Karkat smiled and kissed Kankri. "I'm sure you'll get it. You're all sorts of organized and shit." He nodded, not actually knowing much about student government stuff. But Kankri seemed like the kind of person that would be in the government. "So wanna like... watch a movie or something? Or do you have to blog like you normally do?”  
Kankri nuzzled Karkat's hair again. "Only a quick update or two and then we can watch a movie. I did a lot of my work yesterday." He stood and got his laptop. As he logged in to check on his various blogs he asked, "What do you wish to watch?"  
"I dunno, a romcom?" he suggested, waiting on Kankri with a smile, nuzzling him. "You and your silly blog. But go forth and fight on for the social justice." He paused for a moment. "Are we a social justice thing?" he asked, pointing between them.  
Kankri was surprised at Karkat's choice and raised an eyebrow. "I would not have pictured you as a romantic comedy enthusiast," he said, slightly amused. He huffed a little at Karkat's teasing, "They are /not/ silly," he paused for a moment, thinking over Karkat's questions, " and I am not quite sure what you mean. Please clarify. How would we be a, as you put it, "social justice thing", supposing we were one?"  
"As long as your blog never says something like 'im sleeping with a whore' I don’t think we are one." He smiled playfully, getting up to put his plate up. He paused, kissing Kankri softly. "Cause you're the first to fuck me and not make me feel like one." He padded off to the kitchen, naked.  
"Karkat, you of all people should know that the term "whore" is derogatory in nature and highly insensitive to people in your... field." Kankri started to lecture as Karkat got up. He stopped as Karkat continued what he was saying. It hurt to think that others had used Karkat so poorly in the past. It hurt, and also made him angry. He muttered darkly at his computer screen for a few minutes, before deciding trying to continue blogging in this state would only cause him to writing something highly triggering that he would regret later. He closed the window and searched for a romantic comedy online. "Our options for movies are "Hitch" starring Will Smith, "50 First Dates" starring Adam Sandler, and "Serendipity" starring John Cusack,” Kankri called to Karkat. “What do you think?"  
Karkat thought on it. "Hitch," he replied, coming back with a glass of juice, surprised to see Kankri off the computer. "That was fast. I brought you one of your thingies." He held up a bottle of some fancy flavored water that he really saw no point in.  
Kankri shrugged, trying to be casual about it, "I told you I just needed to update a thing or two." He broke into a smile when he saw the drink. "Thank you, Karkat." He took the bottle appreciatively and took a sip. He hadn't noticed how thirsty he was until Karkat had brought him the drink. Of course, he had gone through some /fairly/ heavy physical exertion, so it did make some sense. He sighed contentedly and leaned back. "Right. So Hitch." He started up the movie. "I haven't seen this movie yet. What about you?"  
"I've seen it about eight times." Karkat smiled and settled up into the bed, setting his drink on the night stand and cuddling down against Kankri once more. He knew he was over doing this. Making it seem like since they fucked they were dating or something. That wasn’t how life worked. But for tonight... he was going to pretend it was.  
Kankri raised his eyebrows at Karkat. "Well then it must be pretty good." Kankri rested his head on the top of Karkat's head, taking in his smell. This was nice, he concluded. Being in a relationship with Karkat was going to be great if this was going to be the standard. They were in a relationship, right? Kankri assured himself they were. They had just had sexual intercourse. Yes, true, Karkat did that all the time, but that was for money. Since Karkat had slept with him of his own accord, it naturally made them a pair in Kankri’s mind. He smiled and sighed into Karkat's hair his hand reaching down to find Karkat's. He took it, blushing like a schoolgirl, and ran his thumb over the back of Karkat's hand gently.  
It wasn’t long before Karkat had managed to peacefully fall asleep against the older boy’s chest, all the tension sagging out of his shoulders as he cuddled up to Kankri, his lullaby the other's heartbeat.  
Kankri didn't notice the other had fallen asleep until the movie ended. He looked down to say something to the younger boy and saw the other sleeping peacefully. He closed the laptop and set it carefully next to the bed, doing his best not to disturb Karkat too much. He took a few minutes to look at the boy. The tense lines had gone out of his face and he looked peaceful, actually seeming his age. He felt his stomach flip with adoration for Karkat. It was ridiculous how fast he had fallen for the teen. He pressed a kiss to the other's forehead and settled down next to him. After a moment he also fell asleep, his arms wrapped around Karkat.


	9. Wait... I'm /not/ your boyfriend?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kankri blinked at Karkat, feeling for a moment what is was like when HE was ranting at someone. There was a LOT that Karkat said and a LOT he wanted to say about it. However, the only thing that stuck in his mind to think about was the last part. "Wait... I'm /not/ your boyfriend?" Kankri asked, dumbfounded at the realization. He had just taken the idea that they were in a relationship for granted until now. It had never even occurred to him that Karkat may not have thought they were officially boyfriends. Didn’t having sex and the cuddling mean they were dating? Had he just taken that for granted? Karkat was a whore, he suppose he should have clarified the entire situation before he assumed they were together simply because Karkat took his virginity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yup so sorry this is late. I got laid off and I've been kinda derailed. so sorry for the pause. another chapter is coming soon. it just needs edited

The next week passed quietly. Well, except for the occasional tryst that Karkat seemed to go out of his way to initiate. Not that Kankri was truly complaining about it. He was vaguely becoming more comfortable with the way he and Karkat were with each other. It was late that Friday that found them both casually laying around after one of their ‘sessions’ as Karkat had playfully called them. Kankri took a shuddering breath as the other moved over him for a moment, kissing his nose and hopping off the bed. He could never figure out how the other could just go from sex to being up so easily. He felt winded and a bit worried he was out of shape. He snapped himself out of it only after what seemed to be an eternity of staring and followed after him to the shower.  
Once in the bathroom next to the tub, he tweaked the nozzles, feeling for just the right temperature before turning on the shower. He pulled back the curtain and gestured for Karkat to go ahead and step in while he went for his soap. He still couldn’t bring himself to just go about his day after all that sweat and such. He felt a bit filthy.   
Karkat slipped in under the warm water, making a happy noise. He knew he had hickies this time. Shit, convincing Kankri that biting him was okay was a huge hurdle in the first place. But now a lot of them decorated him, on his shoulders and maybe even on his neck and lower back. They were small and barely there because of the other’s hesitation, but it didn’t matter. He had them on him, little love bites. It was like they were dating and this... it was getting intoxicating, his own delusion of a relationship with this guy who had taken pity on him.  
Kankri followed Karkat into the shower. He ran his hand over Karkat's shoulders, blushing at the marks he had made. "Sorry about these," he muttered, massaging Karkat's neck and head with his soap, his fingers dancing over Karkat's soft skin, dotted with the marks Kankri had left only minutes ago. He then moved down Karkat's stomach and back. He was using cleaning the other to keep his thoughts in check. "They won't be a problem for you, will they?" He wasn't sure about Karkat's occupation, and trying to think of it made him start thinking unpleasant thoughts, but he didn't want to be the one who got him fired. /How/ a prostitute got "fired" was completely unknown to him, but he did not want to be the one who caused it.  
Karkat smiled and gently touched one he could see out of the corner of his eye. "Nah, it’ll be fine. I heal quickly, but I'll have a chance to savor them all day tomorrow. I’m off the next couple of days," he said softly and leaned against Kankri, not really thinking of the fact he was talking out loud to someone who actually listened. A lot of his clients didn’t listen to him at all. They simply fucked him, ignoring most suggestions or attempts at conversation.  
Kankri was finishing up his own soaping as Karkat spoke. "Good," Kankri said, reaching down for the shampoo. He was trying not to overanalyze what he was doing because if he started he'd probably talk himself out of it. He squirted some of the shampoo onto his hands and started working them through Karkat's hair. He enjoyed the feeling of Karkat's thick hair running through his fingers. He gently worked the soap into Karkat's scalp, meticulous as always, making sure he covered every part of Karkat's head in attention.  
Karkat almost moaned. This sexy fucker was washing his hair for him. He thought it was bad when he rubbed soap into his skin. This... gods, he had never had this done after a night with him. He leaned into the touch, making soft happy noises under his breath as the other worked his fingers against his scalp.  
Kankri was relieved, to say the least, that Karkat was okay with his new "wash your hair" thing. Cleaning always relaxed him. He tilted Karkat's head into the spray, assisting the water in rinsing off the black locks by gently running a hand through it.  
Karkat made another happy noise, his hands reaching back to wrap around the other's waist as he was taken care of. Oh gods, he wanted to date this adorable fucker. But he was a whore and he couldn’t quit. He wasn’t old enough for normal jobs and he wouldn’t make anywhere near as much at them. There was no way in hell Kankri would want to date him. He shook off the thought though. This was no time to get down over being single. He could still play house in his head.  
Kankri made a noise of contentment as Karkat wrapped his arms around him. "How exactly did I get so lucky?" he murmured into Karkat's head. He moved off and away from him for a moment to grab the conditioner because there was no way for someone with hair like Karkat's to get away with not using at least a little of the product. He began working with the conditioner with the same slow deliberation he had done with the shampoo.  
Karkats eyes drifted closed and he cooed with a soft sigh. "’Cause you thought I was a charity case and I thought you were offering me 300 bucks for a lay,” he muttered playfully as the other worked conditioner into his hair. “And then I wrote my number on your hand.”  
"Well if I had known /that/ was all it took to obtain a partner like yourself, I might have delved into charity a little sooner," he said, smiling lazily as he washed the conditioner out of Karkat's hair. "Though, honestly, it was worth the wait."  
Karkat smiled softly but his heart was feeling a bit heavy. He gave a little chuckle. "Oh hush," he said, and let his hair be rinsed. Why couldn't he date someone like Kankri? Why couldn't he be just another college student that Kankri had run into, the two of them learning to love each other and going home to meet Kankri’s parents? Be some sort of pre-grad med student or scientist?   
“I don’t think I will,” Kankri teased softly, turning Karkat in his arms to kiss the shorter boy, his hand on his hip as the shower rinsed away any trace of soap left behind. “All done.” He spoke softly, referring to the washing he had subjected the other to without his permission.  
Karkat kissed him back with a soft smile, holding him close with a nuzzle to the neck. "Thanks, man. It was really kinda sweet of you." He bit his lip for a second. "I’m gonna get out, okay? My fingers are pruning." In truth, he felt like his heart was gonna fall out of the pit of his stomach. Kankri was far too sweet right now.   
"Of course. I'll be right after you, just give me a moment," Kankri said with a smile. He reached for the shampoo and got to the business of washing his own hair. He gave the back of Karkat's head a fond smile as the teen got out of the shower.  
Karkat dried relatively quickly before padding out of the bathroom and slipping into a hoodie and jeans. With an odd ease he was out on the fire escape, letting his heart ache for a moment. He needed to stop falling for this guy and his awkward sweetness. He was a whore. He knew better than to make attachments to clients. Only Kankri wasn’t paying him for anything. He was treating him gently and being so sweet. He leaned his head back against the stone of the building for a moment with a thump. He must be the biggest fool in town.   
Kankri finished with his shower and stepped out of the room, looking for Karkat. Not in the bedroom, kitchen, or semi-family room they had. He blinked, completely unsure of what had just happened. A part of his mind whispered that Karkat had finally gotten tired of his awkward "how do I relationship" attempts and had run. He pushed the thought backward and away. He really /really/ did not want to think that Karkat had just left him forever without a word.   
He quickly walking (nearly ran) to their closet and opened it. There the book bag was, right where Karkat normally put it. He felt himself breathe out a sigh of relief. He was worrying for nothing. Karkat had probably just gone for some kind of walk. He'd be back. Oh god, he hoped he'd be back. To distract himself Kankri started getting himself ready for bed. He pulled on his shirt and pajama bottoms and padded back into the bathroom, starting up his blow-dryer. He hated sleeping on wet hair. Once that was dry enough he went into their bedroom to do something about the sheets. He rolled his eyes at the mess he had caused Karkat to make and began stripping them off the bed.  
Karkat eventually managed to chill out enough to slip back inside. He pushed the window open, stepping back inside to leave him looking at Kankri stripping the sheets. "Hey Kankri? I…I gotta get something off my chest and shit, okay? Just listen for like five minutes and I swear I'll keep it short and sweet." He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his wet hair. "I like you. Like more than I should. Like a lot. I mean I've never liked someone like this. I don’t even like me like this. You keep doing so many sweet things and the sex is actually really great and I don't feel like you just want me for my body." He took an unsteady breath, trying to blurt all of this. "I just had to tell you that I know I’m just some whore you picked up and I should be lucky you even wanna fuck me knowing what you know about what I do but I kinda want you to be my boyfriend and stuff because thinking about the fact that you're not makes my heart sit in my stomach like a rock." He stared at the floor, knowing he made no sense, but he had just asked the other out. He couldn’t look if the answer was no.  
Kankri blinked at Karkat, feeling for a moment what is was like when HE was ranting at someone. There was a LOT that Karkat said and a LOT he wanted to say about it. However, the only thing that stuck in his mind to think about was the last part. "Wait... I'm /not/ your boyfriend?" Kankri asked, dumbfounded at the realization. He had just taken the idea that they were in a relationship for granted until now. It had never even occurred to him that Karkat may not have thought they were officially boyfriends. Didn’t having sex and the cuddling mean they were dating? Had he just taken that for granted? Karkat was a whore, he suppose he should have clarified the entire situation before he assumed they were together simply because Karkat took his virginity.  
Karkat looked at the other, hope in his eyes. "Are we?" He was leaving it up to Kankri this time. It’s not like had had ever had more than a crush on someone, and those were shot down fast. Whores weren’t supposed to fall in love. He was pretty sure that was in the whoring handbook. Keep your heart in a box on a shelf and don’t show anyone.  
"Aren't we?" Kankri said, feeling just as confused about his emotions as Karkat did. "I have been acting under the impression that we are, Karkat. You are not "just some whore" I picked up off of the street.” The word whore sounded weird to his ears, coming out in his voice. He never used that word and could never see it applied to Karkat. It seemed lower and dirty and Karkat was far from those things. “I have never, and I really do mean /never/, felt as strongly about a person as I have for you," Well...never that was returned but he wasn’t talking about her right now. He walked over to Karkat and stroked Karkat's cheek with the back of his hand, "You realize I would not give up my virginity to just anyone." His tone was not chastising, but earnest, trying to get Karkat to understand him. "I wouldn’t have even let just anyone come to cuddle in my bed, even if we were roommates. I would have taken the couch before I did that. I wish to be in a relationship with you," Kankri couldn't help but smile. The fact that Karkat supposedly felt all of those for him was making him a little giddy despite the circumstances, "as long as you wish to be in a relationship with me."  
Karkat stared dumbfounded for a moment before throwing his arms around his neck hugged him tight, clinging to the elder male with his eyes squeezed shut. Kankri wanted to date him. Kankri had thought they were dating. His first boyfriend was a college age monk-like kid with OCD moments. That was not what he expected. It was so awesome anyways. "Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes," He said one after another rapid and excited. "Fuck yes. Yes. I want to be. Please."  
“Language," Kankri reminded him, but was enthused by Karkat's response. He hugged Karkat back. "Then it looks like we're in agreement,” he said, kissing the top of his head. He was honestly thrilled by their official declaration. A thought occurred to him. Porrim would kill him. Like, skin him and make into a hat, if he didn't let her know. He ran a hand through Karkat's hair, thinking the predicament over. It hit him. A text! He'd just drop her a very quick text. She probably would even see it tonight and then he wouldn't have to deal with her overexcitement, but he'd still not get any abuse from her for not telling her. "Karkat, can you get the clean sheets from the closet? I do want to get some sleep tonight."  
Karkat nodded, a smile plastered on his lips as he looked up and claiming a kiss from the other's lips. "Of course. " He smiled and headed to the closet; opening it to rifle through the linens searching for sheets he liked the feel of

Kankri quickly whipped out his phone to send Porrim a text.

[Text] Officially in a relationship now.

[Text] Thought you should know.

[Text] -Kankri

He slid the phone back into his pajama pocket and went back to pulling the sheets from the bed. He looked at them with slight distaste for the mess and put them into his laundry bin. He'd have to find time to go to the Laundromat... again. The people were going to start wondering what was going on with him if he kept bringing sheets to wash. Or maybe they wouldn't wonder, but know. Kankri felt himself blanche. Perhaps he'd find a second Laundromat to go to every now and again.  
Karkat came back with a grey set of soft cotton sheets and that smile still on his lips. He couldn’t stop. He had noticed the phone action but didn't question it. Probably his closet phone buddy. "Here, I like the feel of these," he assured the other scooping up the dirty ones and pushing them into the hamper. 

Meanwhile, Porrim’s night had just gotten exciting. She was having a fangirl moment, sending only one text.

[text] Im coming over tomorrow

Kankri felt the phone buzz in his pocket and looked to check. He saw the message and his heart nearly stopped. He put the phone away quickly, know that if he protested that would just make her want to come over more. Rock, meet hard place. Hard place, meet rock. And Kankri was stuck in the middle. He blinked absolutely horrified at the prospect of Porrim meeting Karkat. What if she said something that chased him away? What if he said something that would make her WANT to chase him away? He shook his head, starting to put the sheets on the bed automatically. Once he was done he still had no answer. He stepped back and ran a hand through his hair. "Oh god."   
Karkat looked a bit confused. "What? I think they look nice. I mean, I’m not an interior decorator or anything..." he grumbled, assuming Kankri’s ‘oh god’ was over the sheets. "I'll get some other ones. " He headed back to the closet, searching for a second set he liked.  
"Huh, what?" Kankri asked, breaking out of his mini-panic attack. He heard what Karkat was grumbling about and walked over to him quickly. He wrapped his arms around his waist, "No, no, the sheets are fine. If you like them, I love them. I was thinking about something else." He tugged a little on Karkat, trying to lead him over to the bed. "These are perfect."  
Karkat looked doubtful, letting him lead him over to it. He wrapped his arms around his own waist. "Are you sure? You seemed like they were the worst ones I could have chosen..." He was suddenly nervous. Why was he nervous over sheets?  
"I promise it was not about the sheets. My mind was miles away," Kankri said reassuringly. He got into the bed gesturing for Karkat to join him. "There /are/ very comfortable, Karkat. Besides, /I/ bought these sheets. I would not have had them in my closet if I thought they were horrible."  
Karkat slid into the bed with a smile nuzzling up against him. He bit his lip wanting the other to call him his but he didn't want to ask. That would be... dumb. Really dumb and lame. He bit his lip and closed his eyes. "I like these a lot.”  
"I'll make sure to get this brand the next time I'm shopping for sheets. Mine are getting worn anyway and our... recent activities are not going to help, I can tell." He stroked Karkat's head. "Karkat," he decided to broach the subject of Porrim coming over now and not later. "My friend would like to come over to visit tomorrow. Will it be alright with you if she does?" 'Please say no, please say no, please say no. Please say that it's not okay.' Kankri hoped, looking down at Karkat and trying to appear relaxed.  
"Uhh... sure? I mean if she’s a friend I don’t see why she shouldn't." He nodded a bit for a moment. "You look really strained. I promise I won’t embarrass you in front of your friends. I promise.”  
Kankri mentally cursed, but tried to keep outwardly calm. He realized that his face /was/ taking a strained tint to it and relaxed, deciding he would just have to deal with Porrim when the time came. He wanted to say "It's not you I'm worried about" but he feared it would give Karkat a bad impression of Porrim before he had even met her. So he settled with, "I'm sure you won't, Karkat. I'm fine. I'm just tired. Long day and everything." His body took that moment to yawn and he thanked the universe for small favors. He leaned over to turn off the light and nuzzled into Karkat's hair. "Goodnight, my Karkat," he murmured, already half asleep.


	10. She couldn't have waited until a decent time in the morning?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sun was up by the time she got there. It had been for quite a few hours. If by quite a few someone said 9 am, she couldn’t actually argue. With starbucks in one hand and her purse on the crook of her arm, Porrim pounded on the door a few times. Mostly as a warning before she simply pulled out her key. It was Kankri's spare he asked her to keep ahold of incase of emergency. Kankri having a boyfriend and sex all without her meeting the guy? This was an emergency, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the pause. Its totally my fault Kinda ended up homeless and stuff so I got a bit derailed on posting chapters. So here we go -holds up the chapter- have at it

The sun was up by the time she got there. It had been for quite a few hours. And if someone were to say 'quite a few' meant by 9 am, she couldn’t actually argue. With Starbucks in one hand and her purse on the crook of her arm, Porrim pounded on the door a few times. Mostly as a warning before she simply pulled out her key. It was Kankri's spare he asked her to keep ahold of incase of emergency. Kankri having a boyfriend and sex all without her meeting the guy? That constituted as an emergency, right?  
Karkat stirred slowly, his eyes unfocused. He heard the knocking. Pounding. Whatever it was loud and more than a little annoying. He looked out at the other room sleepily. "Who the fuck wants in this early?" He groaned before flopping back down on the bed.   
Kankri stirred slightly at the sound of the pounding, but it was Karkat moving that actually got him to open his eyes. His sleep-filled mind tried to put two and two together as he followed Karkat's gaze. "I have no ide-" he froze, his thoughts finally clicking into place, the 'on' switch making his stomach drop. "Oh no," he groaned, practically jumping out of the bed. He grabbed his khakis and a shirt from the closet, quickly changing from his nightclothes into them. Not as gracefully as he would usually would have though, almost tripping into the doorframe in his haste to get his pants on. "She couldn't have waited until a decent time in the morning? I cannot /believe/ she…" He paused, listening for a moment.   
"She's using her key. Oh for the love of." He started practically running into the next room as he pulled on his shirt, grabbing his sweater from the back of his chair. He closed the bedroom door behind him to give Karkat time to get decent as he started towards the front door, trying desperately to get his hair into order as he walked.  
Karkat blinked slowly at the now closed door before he flopped back onto the bed. He was way too comfy and content in the Kankri scented bed to want to get up and meet whoever was at the door. Or put on pants, for that matter.  
"KANNI!" Porrim smiled as she moved into the apartment. She wrapped an arm around him hugging him even as he was trying to fix his hair, trying not to spill the coffee. "Hey hunny. Awww I thought you got up before this.” She pushed a Starbucks cup into his hands. “I wanted to catch you before school. I brought coffee." She set her stuff down on the counter, moving through his house like she lived in it. She had helped him pick it and move in, so she had "rights", so she claimed. "So where is your Beau? Still in bed? " She aimed for the bedroom door, a smile on her black colored lips.  
Kankri grimaced at the nickname. "Porrim I have requested that you do not call me that, and I overslept a bit today." He smoothed his bedhead down as much as he could. "Yes Karkat is still- hold on just a moment Porrim!" he quickly followed her in an attempt to stop her from entering the bedroom, trailing two steps behind her. "Please allow him time to get up and ready!"  
Porrim pushed the door open anyways with a smile and a raised eyebrow, looking at the boy in the bed covered with nothing but the blanket draped across his hips. She smirked. "Oh Kanni, you have good taste. I’m proud." she teased her friend and chuckled. "Come see me when you're up, sweetie." She finally let the sweatered boy pull the door closed.  
Kankri slammed the door shut as soon as Porrim let him. He was glowering at Porrim, though the picture was slightly spoiled by the red flush growing across his face. "Really Porrim? You could not have just /waited/ until he was ready?" he asked with a groan. He turned from her and went back to the kitchen, finally sipping at the coffee she thrust into his hand. "Now that you are done trying to pry into the bedroom, why did you come over so early?" he asked, gesturing for her to sit on the couch- anything to get her away from the bedroom door.  
Karkat stared at the door for a moment, listening to the woman speaking in the other room. "What the fuck just happened..." He grumbled, stretching slowly. He didn’t want to get up, but someone called him pretty. And he distinctly heard the word coffee, efficiantly grabbing his interest.

Porrim chuckled and walked over to the counter with a smile on her lips as she made herself comfortable, her hip resting against it. "Oh, how could I let him go on without meeting your best friend? How’d you boys meet, anyways?" She asked, nosing into his business while she looked around for hints about his boyfriend "You're such a sweetheart. Is there breakfast?"  
Kankri froze a bit, unsure what to tell Porrim. It wasn't so much that he was ashamed of Karkat's profession, he just didn't want her to know he had accidently hired him. He cleared his throat, before answering. "Oh well, we take the same bus. We met there. On the bus." He rambled, hoping she wouldn't ask for details. "And yes. I will be making food," he rolled his eyes a bit and went to the fridge. "Eggs and bacon alright with you?"  
"Met. On. The. Bus." She repeated each word giving him the death stare and letting the curious look reflecting in her eyes get her point across. She was going to know it all befre breakfast was over. "Scramble my eggs, if you would.” She pushed her hair back over her shoulder. “You hate the bus. You hate bus people. They talk to you and you flinch. How did you meet anyone on a bus?" She watched him, eyes narrowed in suspicion even as she sipped her coffee.   
Kankri smiled, slightly sheepishly, and shrugged. "Well we were /waiting/ for the bus when we started talking." He scrambled the eggs, directing his attention to what he was doing instead of looking at Porrim. He /really/ /REALLY/ didn't want to talk about how he and Karkat met. The very thought admitting his little accident was mortifying to say the least. Not to mention he was sure Porrim would never let him hear the end of it. He glanced at the bedroom door, wondering where Karkat was.  
Karkat finally poked his head out the door. "Can't find my pants. Where’d ya throw em?" He grumbled before slipping back into the room and letting the door close with a click.   
Porrim smirked, setting down her mug. "Well then... Seems your boy lost his jeans. You wanna help him or can I? I can be super helpful," she chuckled, shifting on her stool as if to get up and help his young lover.  
"No, no that will not be necessary. I can go assist him," Kankri said quickly, putting the just finished eggs onto a plate. "Just give us a moment and we'll be back out. Help yourself to the coffee and eggs. I'll prepare the bacon when I get back." He then set off for the bedroom at a brisk walk-run, slipping into the room and shutting the door behind him. "What do you mean you can't find your pants?" he asked Karkat incredulously.  
Karkat looked up at him sleepily. "I had them before you fucked me yesterday..." He smiled slowly at the thought. "Maybe if we fuck they'll show back up." He suggested with a crooked obviously half awake smile on his lips. He didn’t share the other’s urgency and he liked to have Kankri before he had to go to work.  
Kankri felt his cheeks heat up. "Language. And no Karkat, us having sexual intercourse will /not/ help us find your pants. Particularly when we have a guest in the next room. I put your pants back in the closet where they belong," as he spoke, he made his way over to the closet and retrieved the neatly folded pants from a drawer. "Here you go... and please remember to put a shirt on, okay?"  
Karkat blinked at him and let a sulk come over his lips. "I'd rather have the sex." He grumbled, pulling on the pants and slipping out the door. No undies, no shirt. "Cofffeee," he grumbled.   
Porrim smiled looking him over and handing him one of the starbucks cups. "Good morning starshine." She watched as the boy hopped up on the counter and took a deep drink of her coffee.  
"No Karkat wait!" Kankri pinched the bridge of his nose, before realizing the two were alone in the room together. He quickly rushed back into the room, grabbing a shirt in the (faint) hope that he could convince Karkat to put it on. He walked past Karkat and handed it to him with a meaningful 'put this on' look and turned to Porrim. "Porrim, this is Karkat. Karkat, meet Porrim," he introduced them awkwardly, his eyes flicking nervously from one to the other.  
Karkat kinda dragged himself to shift around on the counter to give Porrim a wave without a word, watching the food cook as he tried to remember how to get more coffee. It was proving to be a problem in that moment though because this was good stuff... not as good as what some of his clients made, but it was good.  
"Oh baby you didn’t tell me your boy was eye candy," Porrim teased as she ate. "Sleepy but delcious to look at. I’m proud of you, Kanni.” At the sound of the nickname, Karkat snorted in amusement.  
Kankri shot Porrim a small glare. He couldn't help the possessive ‘don't you look at him he's /mine/’ feeling that washed over him for a moment. However, he recalled it was Porrim and she was merely being herself. He took a breath and reached out, picking up Karkat's coffee by the lid, holding it out of his reach in the hopes he'd be able to bribe his boyfriend into a shirt. He placed some bacon into a pan with his free hand. It was completely ridiculous, all the things he was having to juggle. "So Porrim how have you been?"  
"Nhhhhhh uhhuhuhhhhhhhh " Karkat made whiney noises at the other, reaching and leaning slowly further out towards it, obviously not even willing to play this morning. He wasn't awake enough. "Give me my coffee or I'll tell you why you should." He muttered, giving him the /we fucked and I even put on pants. I want my coffee/ look.   
Porrim chuckled and leaned on the counter, finishing off her eggs and watching the bacon. "I’m good, going to school. Psychology isn’t as hard as you made it sound." She smiled. “And you?”  
Kankri continued to hold out on the coffee, returning Karkat's look with a /we have a guest will you PLEASE put a shirt on/ look. The silent battle was interesting. He took the bacon off the plate and smiled at Porrim, "I am glad you are enjoying your class Porrim." He winced a little as he thought of his own time in Psychology class, "The class was certainly not for me personally. However if it suits you I am happy for you. I’ve mosty been working myself, studying and blogging."  
Karkat slid off the counter, pouring the coffee himself when Kankri was distracted and slipping onto the floor to lean against the counter, claiming victory. "Why you here so fuckin early?" He asked the woman sitting there, her lovely long legs crossed like someone proper.   
Porrim smiled and leaned over to him a bit. "Because I wanted to meet the real you before Kanni could lecture you into a hole and make you clam up like a pretty little oyster instead of the pearl you are.”  
Kankri felt his eye twitch in annoyance, "Watch your language Karkat, and I am perfectly fine with you two talking. There is no reason you cannot meet, as you call it, the "real" Karkat while I am here." He leaned back against the counter, rolling his eyes a bit. He had completely lost control of the situation and was feeling a little put out. He tried to come up with a way to get Karkat into a shirt because it was starting to /really/ bother him that Porrim could see that much of Karkat's skin.   
Porrim chuckled. "Fine then. I like those marks. Are they from work?" She asked as if it was sweet and normal to, running a finger tip over the mark on his shoulder that was undeniably the purpling bruise of a hicky.   
Karkat smiled slowly and a little smugly, holding his coffee close, wedged between the bar and the counter. "Nah, Kankri had a bad day. And made my day when he got home."  
Kankri's face turned completely red. 'Oh god Karkat really did not just say that. He /did not/ just tell Porrim that I did that oh my god,' he thought in horror. He felt like sinking into the floor or dying, or perhaps dying and then sinking into the floor. Yes, probably that. He looked over at Porrim. Maybe she would just let it go? The idealistic part of his mind hoped for that outcome in vain, but the sensible part quietly told him there was NO chance of that happening. Ever  
"Awwwww, you lucky little fucker you. I knew Knakri had to be a wild beast under all that sweater fleece and social blogging." She smiled sweetly knowing that her best friend was probably dying a thousand deaths inside. Actually, a thousand and one judging by the redness of his face. Karkat sipped his coffee, holding it up to get more put in it as if Kankri could buy his silence  
"Porrim!" Kankri practically screeched in his horror, "What?" He put a hand to his head. That did it. Final straw. "Give me a moment, Porrim," he said to his friend and walked over to Karkat, took the cup from him, grabbed the shirt and tried to forcibly put in onto him. Enough was enough. He was /getting/ the damn shirt onto Karkat whether the other liked it or not. He had to take control of /some/ part of this entire fiasco.  
Karkat made a startled noise, his hands coming up and sliding up under Kankri's sweater. It was his only defense from the damn shirt the other was trying to force onto him. His fingers sought his skin, sliding up till they ran over his nipples. "Stop it!" He grumbled as Porrim just laughed at them both.  
Kankri groaned a bit at the feeling of Karkat’s hand across his chest, but stayed on task. "No Karkat," he said, struggling to put the shirt on his boyfriend while keeping own on. "You. Are going. To put this. Shirt on." He glanced at Porrim, giving her a /you're not helping/ look and then turned his attention back to Karkat.  
Karkat's finger reached further and slid up against his neck and drug his nails down along the length of his neck. Not enough to hurt but enough to tell him where shit would go if he didnt stop. "I don’t want to wear the fucking shirt just cause your friend came over! Let me go!"  
Kankri paused trying to think, though it was hard as Karkat had just triggered a very sensitive spot for him. He took a shaky breath. He was pissed at the idea of Karkat remaining shirtless while Porrim was still in the house, even more so that Karkat didn't seem to care that Porrim could see him like this, despite her not being a client of his. He pushed his mind away from the client area because, honestly, that would only make him angrier. However, it would not be appropriate to start screaming at Karkat in front of Porrim. Who knew how she was taking this entire thing anyway? Not to mention he knew Karkat would make good on his promise and he DID NOT EVER want to get aroused in front of Porrim. He gave up, letting go of the shirt and giving Porrim a strained smile. "Have it your way, Karkat," he said simply. He checked his phone on the time. Thank god, it was time for his next class. He needed to get out of the apartment before he started wanting to scream again. "Sorry about all this Porrim. I have a class to get to. I will talk to you later?" he asked as he rushed to the bedroom to grab his backpack.  
Porrim smiled as she let the boys settle their shit. "Mhmm. I have to go to class too. I can give you a ride so you don’t have to take the bus. " She offered. "I'll be downstairs. It was nice meeting your sexy ass, Karkat. " With that she headed out the door. Karkat got up slowly, leaving the shirt in the floor before finding Kankri at the closet, catching ahold of him even as he started to scold him and kissing him deeply. "Have fun in class. I'mma nap till work. My phone is on." He muttered softly and kissed him again.  
Kankri sighed, melting into the kiss. It was nearly impossible for him to stay mad at Karkat when he kissed him like that. "Right, see you." He quickly left the room, finding Porrim outside. "Okay, I'm ready to go," he said, looking at his phone again to see the time, "We had better get a move on."


	11. "Karkat? Karkat, can you hear me?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "1127.." He whispered softly, his voice cracked and thick. He couldn't make the tears stop and he was more than ashamed of that. But he remembered the key. The shiny card with its raised numbers being slid to him. The douchebag client’s smug look while they had drinks. "I.. I'll try to get the door." He muttered as he pushed himself up, sniffling back as his nose tried to run, filling with the scent of himself being sick earlier. He crawled slowly over to the door, pulling the handle down and letting it swing open a bit. He just knelt on the floor, half wrapped in a comforter and waiting for Kankri, wishing he was invisible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is a hard chapter. Imma TW: Rape and TW: drugs. Its not nice and it was hard to write for me honestly but it was good and important to the story. So I'm leaving it in. 
> 
> Also, Once again happy to announce the exsistance of our tumblr page - whyhaventyousleptwithhimyet.tumblr.com

Karkat's head was swimming. He couldn't keep his thoughts. His eyes wouldn't focus on the ceiling, but he knew he had been with a client. His ass hurt, and it was the only reason he would be naked outside Kankri's bed anymore. He was scared for the first time in a long while. He wanted Kankri.  
Shifting to roll over, he felt his body jerk, his stomach turning as he tried to get on his knees. He felt like he would lose his lunch, but nothing but air came out and in several ways that was worse. His arms shook and he lowered himself back onto the bed, blindly feeling for his jeans, his phone. Even his work phone had Kankri's number on it, listed under 'If you fuck me up, please call'. It took him a couple tries, but he couldn’t seem to focus on his phone through the fog, or even get his voice to work right. He managed to call though, coughing hard as his body tried to reject whatever he was dosed with. He knew he was alone, and he really didn’t want that now.  
Only a few blocks away, Kankri had been sitting up all night. It was currently three in the morning and he was sick with worry. Karkat usually did not stay at his client’s houses unless it was planned. The younger male had made no mention of an overnight job and he was practically climbing the walls at this point. He had tried calling Karkat's phone (the regular one, he was unaware that Karkat even had a work phone) and he had found out that Karkat had left it in the apartment. He was pacing currently, wondering if he should call the police or Porrim or /someone/ to come and help him find Karkat.  
His phone rang and he saw an unfamiliar number on the screen. He sighed, not wanting to deal with strangers at this hour. However, right before he pressed "ignore" something in the back of his mind told him to answer. He acted on the strange impulse and put the phone to his ear. "Kankri speaking."  
"Kan- " Karkat's voice cut out and he was heaving again, his stomach jerking, feeling his throat strain and burn. He knew it wasn’t going to stop til he got whatever it was out. Or maybe some water or something. His body was pissed. He took a shaky breath, trying again. "Kankri... come.. get me... please." He kept his words spaced and slow, his tongue clumsy. They didn't sounds nearly as graceful as he normally was. "The Hilton.... near our place. 1127." He started coughing again, making himself lightheaded from not breathing in enough, his stomach clenching and heaving against itself.  
He dropped the phone, trying to scramble to the bathroom and falling several times. His knees found cold tile and he shoved two fingers to the back of his throat and slightly down it, trying to trigger himself. It needed out and his body wasn’t going to stop til it was. He managed it, all the liquor and various munchies his client and he had eaten falling from his mouth. His body shaking he sank onto the floor, curling his arms around himself, unable to move yet as a cold sweat came over his body.  
Kankri felt his heart nearly stop as he heard Karkat's voice. It sounded horrible. “Karkat? Karkat!” he called out as he heard the phone fall and static, the barest noises in the background keeping him company now. His heart started to race. Who knows what had happened to his darling partner. With a grim determination, he quickly filed the name of the place down in his head, grabbed his keys, and rushed out the door. The Hilton, as far as he could remember, was only five blocks or so away from the apartment. He was NOT going to be forced to stop and wait for the bus.  
"Karkat? Karkat, can you hear me?" he asked into the phone as he hurried down the stairs, unwilling to wait for the elevator regardless of the dangers of running down the stairs. There was a sound of retching from the other side and Kankri let out a concerned whine, having now broken into a full sprint down the sidewalk. He hadn’t run in years and it was a bit difficult to hold the phone to his face. He quickly crossed at an intersection, making a car stop as he was highlighted by headlights. He ignored the blaring horn and the angry yell. "Karkat. Talk to me, love. I'm coming. What's wrong?" he managed to get out between his labored breaths.  
Karkat couldn't stay on the tile. It was cold. Too cold. Crawling back towards the bed, he just grabbed the edge of the comforter and pulled it down with him, his phone bouncing off his back and onto the floor. He blinked at it slowly. His head was still swimming, like it was full of syrup. Every movement felt like he had to convince his body that it could function. But eventually his hand slid out and tugged it closer, cradling it as he curled up in a ball. Another minute to remember where the speaker phone button was. Just in time to hear the other call him love. "Sick... Think drugged," he whimpered softly, the words scraping out of his throat. He hated making himself throw up. It felt bad, tasted bad, and left his throat burning with the memory which only made his stomach turn more. "I… need you... Here... Please." He felt himself being pulled under again. His body was trying to get him to sleep it off, recuperate. Or maybe it was still in his system. He didn’t know, and it scared him so much.  
Kankri had to will his mind into being calm. He needed to comfort Karkat, not lose it and panic. "I'm on my way, Karkat. Don't worry. Don't hang up and just keep talking to me," he panted, feet slamming into the pavement. He was losing speed and his chest was burning, heart pounding so hard against his ribs. He couldn’t keep this up.  
The sound of Karkat's voice told him that the teen was in very bad shape. Kankri needed to keep him talking, awake, and alert because Kankri would need Karkat’s help once he got to the hotel. He wracked his brains for something to talk about, "Karkat, are you still with me?" his voice softened, thinking of the lazy afternoons they had had a few weeks ago. Karkat had tried to complement him in the oddest of ways. "Do you know what I find most attractive about you?"  
Karkat's fingers slowly moved against the phone as if the cold plastic could comfort him. "I’m here..." he muttered. "I want water... I can't find any..." They both know he hadn't looked. It was what he said in bed about coffee. He was trying hard to make jokes. He knew he had made Kankri worry, maybe even panic. Kankri was panting, running... Kankri hated to run. His voice got a soft tone to it though. Karkat closed his eyes, wanting his vision to stop swimming and to feel like Kankri was closer. "I get naked. A lot of the time," he suggested, curling a little as he felt like his stomach was caving in for a moment. Whatever that tool had used was not nice in the after effects.  
Kankri smiled even as his heart ached. Karkat was still trying to make light of the situation. He was going to find the bastard that did this and tear his head off. Actually tear it off and possibly feed him to some sort of animal. Possibly even the ones at the zoo. He gave a soft chuckle at Karkat's response, pausing at a cross walk, the cars going too fast to ignore. "No, that's not quite it." He raced across the street the moment the cars paused, and turned the corner only to have the hotel loom into sight. Only a couple more blocks. "It's your eyes. I am hopelessly attracted to them."  
Karkat smiled weakly and wrapped the blankets closer. "I don’t wanna open them. I don't feel good..." he muttered softly. "Kankri, I don't wanna be alone." His voice was growing quiet and cracking. He felt... he felt used. More so than normal. Someone had bought him. Then actually taken the time to drug him. Who the fuck drugs a whore? Why would you pay to sleep with someone just to slip them something? It was just cruel. He felt hot water leaking from the corners of his eyes and took a shaky breath trying to stop that shit. It wasn't that easy, though and he wasn’t able to. Not right now, after everything else. "I... I'm so sorry," he whimpered, letting himself cry quietly, burrowing deeper into the blankets.  
A bitter hate rose in Kankri's chest for the scum that dared do this to his Karkat. "Shh, Karkat. it's alright. You have nothing to apologize for. I'm here now." He would have sighed with relief as he reached the Hilton's parking lot, but it was very difficult to even breathe regularly at the moment. He forced himself to keep his pace and sprinted into the lobby of the hotel. It was empty at this time of night, almost silent. He rubbed his side with his free hand, trying to catch his breath. "Okay Karkat, I’m here in the hotel. Do you have any idea about which room you are in?" he asked, looking around the lobby. His grand entrance had caught the attention of some of the employees, but he really couldn't have cared less at the moment if he had tried.  
"1127..." Karkat whispered softly, his voice cracked and thick. He couldn't make the tears stop and he was more than ashamed of that. But he remembered the key. The shiny card with its raised numbers being slid to him. The douchebag client’s smug look while they had drinks. "I... I'll try to get the door," he muttered as he pushed himself up, sniffling back as his nose tried to run, filling with the scent of himself being sick earlier. He crawled slowly over to the door, pulling the handle down and letting it swing open a bit. He just knelt on the floor, half wrapped in a comforter and waiting for Kankri, wishing he was invisible.  
Kankri ran over to the elevator and pressed the button. And then again. And again. Fortunately for him, none of the elevators were in use at this hour and his impatience was rewarded. He got one almost instantly, jamming the button for the eleventh floor repeatedly along with the door close. "Okay, Karkat, hang on I'm on my way up," he soothed, unsure if he would keep signal in the elevator.  
It seemed to take an age, but finally the elevator stopped and opened. He ran out and made his way to room 1127, seeing the cracked door. He opened it carefully, hanging up his phone, and saw Karkat kneeling there. His boyfriend was pale, shaking, and obviously sick. His normally bagged eyes were red from crying, among other things. His heart gave another pang and he was right next to Karkat in an instant, holding him. "Karkat." He ran his hands through his partner's hair and tilted his head up gently to get a closer look at him. The teen was crying and a sheet of sweat was visible on his face. He bit back a curse. "Do you feel well enough to stand?" he asked softly, pushing some of Karkat’s hair back again, almost anxiously fidgeting with it.  
Karkat weakly clung to the other the moment he was held. He tried his hardest to relax as relief moved through his chest. Kankri was here. He was going to be okay. He rested his face against Kankri's chest, nuzzling into the sweater before letting his head be tilted up. "...Not on my own," he whispered, “I tried before." He had carpet burn on his knees from falling on them. "I’m sorry..." He felt another wave of tears on his face. In truth, he was so relieved that the other had come for him. Kankri was saving him and it just made him cry harder. No one had ever wanted to save him like this. He almost felt pathetic when he couldn’t stop the hot tears from sliding down his face.  
Kankri shushed him softly. "You have nothing to apologize for," he reiterated. He looked at the bed for a moment, contemplating. Easing an arm under Karkat's legs and the other under his arms, he prepared to pick Karkat up bridal style. He was no heavy-lifter, however Karkat was small and the bed was close. He was fairly certain he could do it. "I'm going to pick you up, okay?" he crooned, gently placing a kiss on Karkat's head.  
Karkat nodded and tried to huddle closer to the other, his arms wrapped around his neck. He hugged onto him tight and waited for the world to spin, his eyes squeezing shut. He still felt sorry even if Kankri said he didn't have anything to be sorry for. He was sorry he was a mess. Sorry he had needed Kankri here. Sorry for getting into this situation. Sorry for being a whore.  
Kankri steadied himself and lifted Karkat. Yes, okay, he definitely wasn't going to make this a habit, but he could manage. He walked over to the bed, trying not to jostle Karkat too much. He wasn't sure exactly what the drugs in his system were doing to him, but movement obviously wasn't helping from what he had seen. He set him down on the bed as gently as he could. They would have to stay in the hotel room for the night; there was no way he would want to move Karkat all the way back to the apartment, especially on foot. He stroked Karkat's forehead and then moved away from the bed for a moment. He walked over to the miniature kitchenette, looking for a glass or a cup or anything so he could get Karkat some water.  
Karkat shivered and shifted slightly as Kankri pulled away, eyes still closed as he tried to wrap himself in the sheets. That only lasted as long as it took to realize they were sticky. He made a distressed noise, kicking them away from himself the best he could even as his body almost violently objected to the movement. It was like someone had reversed his body controls and he ended up with the sheet almost off the bed stuck one of his feet, so frustrated with it. "I hate this." He shoved his face against the pillow. Maybe he could suffocate himself and not die of shame instead.  
Kankri's head whipped around as he heard Karkat make a noise. He walked quickly back to him, placing the glass on the table next to the bed. He rubbed Karkat's back for a moment, trying to figure out what had happened. His head turned to look at the sheets. Reaching over and taking them in a hand, he made a face of disgust when he realized what was on them.  
“Shh, it's alright. I’ve got it.” He stripped the bed of the over sheets, grateful that whoever had been with Karkat had decided to /not/ go under the sheets to make a mess. The cum was really only on the blanket and sheets. He pulled them off of the bed and looked at Karkat. The hotel had to have a spare blanket somewhere. Fortunately, Kankri had the mind of a housemaid. It only took a couple minutes of searching before he found an unsoiled blanket tucked in the bathroom closet. It wasn't much, but it would help. He kicked the sheets into a corner and opened the blanket, spreading it over Karkat.  
Karkat reached out, caching Kankri's wrist and weakly tugging at him. If he was going to be sick and in this bed again, he needed Kankri. He needed the other to be the strong one for now. "Please... lay with me... I’m sorry... It's dirty... I’m dirty..." he whimpered and closed his eyes. "I'll make it up to you... please." His voice kept cracking and he struggled to keep it sounding even.  
Kankri held Karkat's hand, making soothing circles on it with his thumb. He kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the bed next to Karkat, wrapping his arms around the younger boy. He still felt completely awkward, however he pushed it aside. Karkat needed him and he was going to help him as much as he could. Once settled, he took Karkat's hand again. "Shh, it's okay. You are not dirty, Karkat. You are beautiful. I'm here with you. It's okay." He murmured soft, comforting things into Karkat's head next to his ear, trying his best to be soothing, "You don't have make anything up to me. I want to be with you. Anywhere. Even here."  
Karkat snuggled into his sweater, clinging to the warmth it offered and listened to Kankri’s beating heart. It fluttered, shifting and thumping against the inside of Kankri’s ribs. This was what he needed. The other didn’t know it but he had become Karkat’s home. The one thing he would come back to and feel relaxed. Safe. Karkat hadn’t even known he needed this as much as he did. Kankri was becoming his life and Karkat... Karkat didn’t have any real objection to this. Closing his eyes, Karkat counted Kankri’s heartbeats as he slipped to a fitful sleep. Kankri followed soon after, fingers tangled in Karkat’s hair.


	12. (Why the hell is he so good looking?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Kankri, can you get that? I’m not ready. Please please please?" he begged from the bedroom as he struggled to button the jeans that were almost too small to hold his shit in. He was getting a little plump from the way Kankri was cooking and taking care of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry i took so long to post I just kept having trouble with that dark hole I left off in. But I relaxed some and got some mad palebro time and heres chapter 12

It took a few days before Kankri would let Karkat go to work. Long enough for his bruises to heal and Karkat to stop waking up in a cold sweat every night. Honestly, Kankri didn’t want him going back to work yet, but Karkat had bills and Kankri knew he was doing... something? He wasn’t quite sure but the morning after Kankri had gotten him home from the hotel, Karkat had spent almost half an hour whispering harshly over the phone to someone.  
Not that Kankri was snoopy. That would be ridiculous. He had simply been blogging nearby enough to hear a discussion about some sort of garden.   
There was a knock at the door and Karkat cursed softly. He wasn’t ready in the slightest. His jeans were torn and his shirt was still laying on the bed.   
"Kankri, can you get that? I’m not ready. Please please please?" he begged from the bedroom as he struggled to button the jeans that were almost too small to hold his shit in. He was getting a little plump from the way Kankri was cooking and taking care of him.  
Kankri had been on the couch, reading a textbook for his Political Science class, trying not to hover around the other. He had heard the knock and had already gotten up to go get the door. He heard Karkat as he passed the bedroom and stopped. Karkat hadn't told him someone was coming over. And he knew Karkat was getting ready for a job. Obviously, he had heard the door as well and wasn't dressed. That was why he asked Kankri to get it, surely. He had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind, but ignored it. He walked over to the door and opened it.   
"Hello?" he asked.  
A rather (extremely) tall man looked down at Kankri, a slight smile on his lips. His clothes were very much like the ones Karkat was putting on: torn up jeans, combat boots, and a shirt that was missing a good bit of cloth on the sides and said something about a death punch. Only this man's shirt showed hints at perfectly tanned, sculpted body. He brushed his hair back and smiled.   
"I'm here for Karkat. We're going to a show. May I come in?"   
Whatever Kankri had been expecting when he opened up the door, it certainly wasn't this. He took a moment to examine the man in front of him: darker skin, hair, exceedingly tall, fit, and dangerous looking. Everything about him screamed "bad news" (sexy) and "stay away" (oh my god he's really sexy). Kankri felt himself stiffen as the stranger stated why he was there. This (incredibly attractive) person was one of Karkat's /clients/. He looked up and gave a strained smile to the stranger, not moving from the doorway, "I wasn't expecting someone to come pick him up." (Why the hell is he so good looking?)  
"Well, it’s a long way to my house. I was insistent," the stranger assured Kankri, casually leaning his delicious body against the doorframe. "My name is Kurloz Makara. Who are you?"   
He offered Kankri one of his hands, a little smile on his lips as Karkat almost tripped through the house.   
"Just another second!" Karkat called out, getting some juice out of the fridge even as he tried to lace up his boots. Karkat had pulled on his own band shirt, trying to fix his hair and do his eyeliner in the hall mirror. He got more dressed up for the non-sexual outings sometimes. And why not? He liked looking good occasionally without worrying about it being ruined in a couple hours.   
Kankri took the hand that Kurloz had offered him. "Kankri," he said, simply giving the hand a shake, and then added, "Karkat's boyfriend." If Karkat had not wanted this stranger to know he had a significant other, then he should not have given him their address. He looked behind him as he heard the commotion. His eyes rolled fondly and he turned back to Karkat's apparent client. The fondness he had felt from looking at Karkat disappeared, turning back into dislike for the man. Deciding he'd have to be at least somewhat civil to the interloper, he stepped to the side. "Come in," he grumbled, his tone begrudging.  
Kurloz smiled. "Oh so you're the boyfriend. You did say he was cute," Kurloz called to Karkat who flicked him off.   
"Oh shut up and back off. He’s mine," Karkat responded, a hint of laughter in his voice. He assumed Kankri wasn't happy. He meant to be out of the house before Kurloz had even gotten on the elevator. He padded by Kankri, pausing to give him a deep kiss, pulling off of it with a wide smile. "I'll be back around seven-ish, okay? If I'll be later I'll text. Promise. Kurloz, lets hit it!" He tugged at the taller man's arm, shoving him out the door.  
The door closed and Kankri was left alone in the apartment with his new found jealousy for The (Sexy) Stranger. The reassurance that Karkat had spoken about him relaxed Kankri... somewhat. He still didn't like this strange, dangerous, (sexy) person. What nationality was he anyway? Spanish, Native American, Brazilian? Most likely Brazilian if his skin tone and hair color had anything to say about it. With a frown set on his lips he went to his laptop, determined to do a bit of research.

Kankri had been blogging ever since Karkat had left with The Brazilian. /He/ called it blogging at least. What he really had been doing was staring at the screen in a huff, clenching and unclenching his hands a bit and thinking about what he didn't want to think about. And possibly spending too long on Google.   
When Karkat stumbled in the door, there was a smile on his lips. If anything his shirt was torn /more/. New bruises peeked out on his ribs, a hickey on his collarbone. His arms were spotted with bruises as well, but the smile on his face never faltered even as he bumped into the door frame and the wall.   
"Honey, I'm home," he called as he nudged the door shut with his boot.  
Kankri heard the door open and Karkat call, and his head snapped around. He paused for a moment, struggling with his emotions. Better play it calm. He didn't want to chase Karkat away and, at the moment, some of the things he wanted to say about The Brazilian were not exactly sonnets. He took a breath.   
"Hello, Karkat. I'm in the bedroom," he called, forcing his voice to sound neutral. Upbeat, even. He turned towards the screen again, trying to look like he had been working, but his blog document was blank and it ruined the charade.  
Karkat moved into the room and smiled, coming up behind Kankri and nuzzling his neck for a moment before sitting down, unlacing his boots so he could toss them aside. Kankri couldn't help the shudder that ran down his spine as Karkat nuzzled his neck.   
"I'm sorry ‘bout this morning. I didn't mean for him to get as far as our door. Fixing my pants just took longer." And by fixing his pants, Karkat meant holding them together with safety pins. He peeled his shirt off slowly with a happy sigh. "I missed you so much."  
Kankri sighed and smiled, turning in his chair to look at the teen. "I was just surprised tha-" He stopped, now seeing the state Karkat was in. He took in the bruises and the red mark on the other's collarbone. The smile dropped and his eyebrows knitted together. "Are those bruises?" he questioned, concerned, as he got up to look at the younger male's ribcage more closely.  
Karkat looked down, keeping his arms up so he wouldn't elbow Kankri in the head. "Huh? Yeah, I guess. The concert was amazing. They don't even hurt." Even though one looked like a blossoming flower right below his left nipple. He really was unfazed by it. "What were you surprised by?"  
Kankri ran a light hand over the bruises, his eyes narrowing in distaste. The Brazilian was responsible for these, and even /more/ responsible for the mark on Karkat's neck, and it was getting to him. Before the tall man had shown up on their doorstep, Kankri had no face to put with Karkat's clients. There was nothing to compare himself to, and any mental pictures he conjured up were not threatening in the least.   
Now, however, he could clearly picture The Brazilian running his long hands over Karkat's body, pushing him up onto some wall, his lips- Kankri stopped his brain, a sick feeling budding in the pit of his stomach. That, and he had just been sitting there silently while Karkat waited for him to answer. He straightened up and sat back down on his chair. "Just, uh," he tried to re-gather his train of thought, "just surprised that you gave a client our address." And that said client was incredibly handsome and intimidating, he added in his head, almost against his own will.  
"I’m sorry. I didn't wanna try and take the bus all the way out to his house just for us to drive back through the city." He got up and followed after his boyfriend. "And don't worry about the bruises, hun. I've been in the mosh pit before. They heal really fast. And every time I fell, I was pulled to my feet again, so it’s not like I was seriously injured." He was trying to explain, or to comfort Kankri. He wasn't quite sure how since the other was just acting really, really weird. "I can tell him never to come here again if you want."  
Kankri realized that the bruises were from whatever mosh pit Karkat had been in. He vaguely wondered what kind of concert would have created such a violent mosh. He had been to precisely zero concerts in his life, so he did not know if mosh pits were normally violent enough to send someone home with so many injuries. He shrugged, turning back to his computer. "You may do what you wish, Karkat. This is your home as well," he said, focusing his attention on the screen. "I'm glad you were not seriously hurt." His mind flicked to the hickey on Karkat, wondering what had happened.   
He also wondered if he even wanted to hear the inevitable and obvious answer to that question. He decided against it, knowing he’d probably end up bashing his head against the computer’s keyboard in frustration if he did. However, the thought still pestered at his mind.  
Karkat stripped down to just his jeans, bits of his flesh showing through them, but he wasn't too worried about it as he tossed his arm bands and necklaces into a pile by the closet. He was kinda worried about Kankri. His boyfriend was acting weird and it made him worry. A lot. Had he fucked up in some way? Oh gods, was the thoughtful fuck trying to dump him? He had brought over a client, and right after that scare. Kankri surely didn’t want all this shit in his life.   
He practically had a spasm sitting on the bed staring at the back of Kankri's head. Oh this was /far/ too uncomfortable. He had to do something else. Something to get him out of the room before he had an attack from his own thoughts. "I...I’m gonna heat up something… you want anything?" he asked softly, slipping a hand onto Kankri's shoulder. He was seeking the other's attention in that moment because he’d been thinking about it all day.  
Kankri blinked. Right. Food. He realized that he had eaten since Karkat left, which was practically all day. He rubbed his eyes with a hand. He had been /really/ out of it, hadn't he? He gave Karkat's hand a squeeze.   
"I'll make us something, don't worry about it," he murmured, getting up from the chair. He made his way into the kitchen, preoccupied with his thoughts. He searched around the kitchen for a moment. "Is grilled cheese acceptable?" he asked Karkat. "It's really the best option considering what we have on hand right now. I really need to go shopping." The last part was more to himself, they were running low and he /was not/ stooping to ordering out.  
His mind pulled him away from these domestic plans with wondering what exactly Karkat and The Brazilian had done that day. He struggled with the idea of just /asking/ Karkat. He decided to risk it because he was fairly certain he'd explode if he didn't learn what had happened, no matter how bad it was. "So... tell me about how it went," he started, trying to sound casual.  
Karkat followed after him like a puppy and sat on the stool. He wasn’t a cook. Shit, he could barely boil water without burning it sometimes. He watched Kankri quietly, nodding and accepting the idea of grilled cheese. "We can go to the store tomorrow…together?" he asked softly, not sure the other heard him even as he pulled out a frying pan. With a quiet sigh, Karkat answered.   
"Oh. It was a good show. We just drove out to the arena and saw ARACHNOPHO8IA. It was amazing. Got caught up in the mosh pit during Pir8 8itch so that was a little rough. But I think you would’ve hated it. I’d love to take you to a show one day,” he said, trying to tease Kankri, a small smile on his lips.  
Kankri listened intently to the other describe the concert. A very small part of his mind knew he should be happy Karkat had a good time at a good concert, but most of it was caught up in seething jealousy that someone else got to spend that kind of personal time with Karkat. He could have dealt with the idea of The Brazilian being Karkat's friend and doing something like that, but a client? That was a strange grey area that instantly turned a friendly gesture into a romantic threat for Kankri.   
The idea of actually going to a concert was... okay he had to admit the idea of him at a concert was completely ridiculous. Which was what worried him. The Brazilian was what he wasn't. Charming, handsome, a risk taker, you name it. The kind of person who could keep up with Karkat, do those kinds of things without looking like a moron. Kankri was... well. Kankri was just Kankri.   
He nodded politely to the idea, not wanting to shoot Karkat down. "Perhaps...” He placed a sandwich onto a plate and handed it to Karkat. 'Great, The Brazilian takes Karkat to concerts and the most I can take him to the grocery store,' he berated himself, trying not to wince as he began making himself a sandwich.  
Karkat set down the plate and walked around the counter, wrapping his arms around the other’s waist as he cooked hugging him tight. Kankri froze a bit. He had not been paying attention to what Karkat was doing. But he quickly relaxed into Karkat's embrace. Karkat's voice was almost nothing as he spoke. "I'm so glad I get to come home to you..."  
Kankri felt like home to him. When he didn't work and Kankri was at school and at work all day, he had even wiggled into one of those red sweaters until right before he actually returned to him. He cared for the other dearly. And the distant way he was talking was making him nervous and his own thoughts weren’t helping shit. So he stood there, face against his sweater, just holding onto him  
Kankri's heart skipped a beat when he heard Karkat say he wanted to come home to him. Berating himself for being so ridiculous and not able to continue being upset when the other held him, he turned off the stove and turned to face Karkat, putting his own arms around the other. "I can't help but wonder why," he murmured into Karkat’s hair, not really expecting the other to hear him. Holding Karkat like this was enough to calm his worries, for now.  
Karkat blinked looking up at him. Did he seriously not know why? "Because I actually like you…I like who I am when I'm near you," he said. "I like knowing that if I cuss, you'll comment on my language. That you still blush when I make sex jokes but you never make me feel like a whore. You like me even knowing what I am…and you're my boyfriend. My…my only boyfriend…ever." He muttered the last bit.  
Sure, he was a sex worker and he knew all about it, but he was still young, almost eighteen. Almost. He didn't know much about dating and stuff, but he liked it with Kankri. "You feed me, too. And take me normal places…like I’m normal."  
Kankri listen to Karkat, not sure if he wanted to smile or cry. It was definitely the sweetest thing anyone had ever told him... in an odd sort of way. He took a breath, trying to control his emotions. It wasn't working very well because he was already tearing up. The relief he felt was enormous. That paired with his boyfriend's complete perfection started the water works. He couldn’t really stop the tears now that they had started. He had always tried to put up a barrier between others, himself, and his emotions. However, Karkat broke down all those barriers. Honestly, though, he loved that Karkat could do it. He held Karkat a little tighter, trying to get himself under control long enough so he could talk.  
Karkat watched the other's eyes tear up and hugged him back. "I’m sorry…don’t cry..." he whispered, wiping Kankri's eyes gently with his fingers. He didn't know if this was good or not. Kankri hadn't shoved him away, so maybe it was good. "We can sit? I'll get you tea…please don't cry. I didn't mean to upset you."  
Kankri smiled through the tears. "No, it's fine Karkat. I- I'm fine," he tried to assure the other, "but yes, sitting would probably be good." He ran a hand through Karkat's hair and pulled him over to the couch.   
"I don't know what came over me," he said, rubbing his eyes with a hand and sitting down. "You did nothing wrong," he said a little anxiously, not wanting Karkat to get the wrong impression from his outburst, "I was just… touched. That was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me in my life." He leaned forward to put his forehead against Karkat's. "I like doing those things with you, Karkat. Spending time with you, being with you. I will be normal with you whenever you feel like it.”  
Karkat nuzzled the others nose with his own before leaning in to kiss him. "I’m glad... I’m glad we're together... and I’m glad we're dating," he said softly. "One second..." he muttered, getting up to grab their food, drinks, and a blanket. He settled back down with his body mostly in Kankri's lap. "This is better.”  
"Much," Kankri agreed with a smile. He had all but forgotten about The Brazilian. How could he dwell on it when he had such a beautiful being in his lap? He ate his food with one hand, using the other to play with Karkat's hair.   
"So for shopping tomorrow, I was thinking I could get off early from work so that we'd have enough time before /you/ have to go to work. Trying to rush through a grocery store is /not/ a pleasant experience." He recalled the last time he and Porrim had tried to shop in a rush. It hadn't turned out well. "I'll make a list of things we need tonight."  
Karkat raised a brow. "I could meet you there. Save some time." He smiled a bit at the others warnings. And lists. "And I don't have to be in till 7 or so." His smile grew wider and he munched his sandwich into nothing.  
"Good, we'll meet at five. That should give us enough time to get everything done," Kankri said decidedly. He took Karkat's empty plate. "I'll do the dishes," he said, motioning for Karkat to get off.  
"They can wait." Karkat smiled and nuzzled up into him, setting the plates aside. He was content to just snuggle up with him for the rest of the night.


	13. “How.. you’re not old enough!”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karkat knocked back the pills without looking at them, trusting his boyfriend to a fault. He sipped some of the water, still silent for the moment as he heard the other’s comment. Dipping his right hand down into his pocket he offered up the little container Meenah had insisted he would need. He looked back over his shoulder for a moment, his eyes looking down. He knew he was going to be scolded. "Please don't yell at me..."

            It didn’t take Kankri long to realize that Kurloz was a regular customer. A very /very/ regular customer. And what rubbed Kankri even worse was that he never seemed to just fuck Karkat and return him. He would take to concerts, skate rinks, or even paintball matches. It was driving Kankri up the wall. But Karkat often insisted it was a necessity. Honestly that somehow made it worse in Kankri’s eyes

            Karkat pushed the door open gingerly. He had told Kankri that he had had another appointment with Kurloz but that wasn’t the whole truth. He had been over to the Siren’s Call on strict orders.

            His shoulder was so tender all he wanted to do was lay down on his stomach and sleep. Now if he could just slip by Kankri. Moving through the house, he saw his lover, reading his book on the couch. Finals were soon. Moving close to the couch, he gently pressed a kiss to Kankri’s head. "Hey. I’mma catch a nap okay? I’m tired as hell"

            Kankri the textbook down on the table and leaned up into the kiss, happy to greet his boyfriend. He kissed Karkat and took the lease with a small smile. He heard the exhaustion in Karkat's voice and nodded. "Alright. Rough day?" he asked his eyes glancing over Karkat, trying to see if there had been any damage done from the teen's last job.

            Karkat smiled playfully at him. "Lightly rough. Don't worry. I just need some rest and I'll be good as new, Promise.” he kissed him again, soft and slow before padding into their bedroom. There was no way he could even try and get naked like normal. Kankri would be pissed as hell if he saw it so early on. He settled down face first on the bed, wearing everything. This was going to be his most uncomfortable nap since he had gotten a real bed

            Kankri watched Karkat leave the room. He felt like Karkat was holding something back from him. Perhaps the day had been tougher for his boyfriend than he wanted to admit. He went and closed his textbook, marking his place, and walked quietly into the bedroom, He had been planning on grabbing his computer and doing his work on the couch so Karkat could get some rest. He saw Karkat lying there with all of his clothes on and his brows furrowed. Okay, /that/ was strange. Karkat normally stripped himself of his clothes when he got home, at least his shirt, and definitely didn't wear his clothes to bed. The teen must have been extremely tired. He walked over and sat next to Karkat, running a hand through his hair, "Are you completely sure you're okay, love? You seem extremely tired."

            Karkat opened an eye. "Yea I’m fine. Don't worry about it." He went to sit up on one elbow to kiss Kankri, his face twitching for a brief moment in pain as he pulled at his shoulder. He tried to quell it, kissing Kankri gently. "I just need to sleep.”

            "Well don't you think you'd be more comfortable out of these?" Kankri asked, indicating Karkat's shirt and jeans. He ran his hand through the other's hair again, seeing the flicker of pain on Karkat's face. However, it was gone so fast he had to assume he was just seeing things. He /did/ really want to get Karkat out of the shirt now, just in case there was some sort of injury there that Karkat wasn't telling him about.

            Karkat made a whiney noise and flopped down again. "Efffoooorrrttt." He grumbled. In truth he didn't know if he could get his shirt off right now. Lifting his arms hurt and the fabric would scrape it like mad. "It'll be fine." He muttered reluctantly.

            "Karkat. We both know how much you hate clothes," Kankri said, brows raised. The teen must have had some kind of marathon job if he was this tired. Not that he was too interested in thinking of what he and that Brazilian devil had been up to in his absence. He sighed a bit and ran his hands around the band of Karkat's jeans, "Here, let me help you out of this stuff and then you'll be able to get some real rest."

            Karkat squirmed. "Hey.. No.." He grumbled. The other wasn't letting this go as well as he had hoped. "The clothes are fine." He swatted at the hands on his jeans, his face in the pillow hiding each cringe it caused. Who could have known this was going to be so difficult.

            Kankri pulled his hands back away from Karkat, feeling hurt and concerned at the same time. "Really Karkat I don't know why you won't just let me help," he said, moving his hands back over onto Karkat slowly. He wished he could see Karkat's face, unsure if the other was just being difficult because he could or if he was truly annoyed at Kankri. He placed a hand onto Karkat's shoulder, hoping Karkat would just tell him what was wrong.

            Karkat yelped, his body curling and flinching away from Kankri. "Oh fucking bulge-munching simpering hell monkeys" He cursed, his back on more fire than before. Like pouring gasoline on a fire. Or smacking a sunburn. He hissed, waiting for it to stop. It was like his entire back was connected to his shoulder in that moment

            Kankri started as Karkat flinched so drastically at his touch. Now he /knew/ there was something wrong. His hand instantly shot away from Karkat's back, his eyes widening. "Karkat, did something happen to your shoulder?" Kankri asked, trying not to panic, "Let me see what's wrong."

            Karkat wanted to smack himself in the face. So much for iron will and self-control, dumbass. He couldn't control a potato if he tried. "It’s nothing." He muttered. "Besides... I don't know if I could lift my arms high enough to get the damn thing off." He grumbled. He did not want to be yelled at.. It’s not like it was his choice.

            Kankri was sick with worry. Whatever it was, it was causing so much pain the teen couldn't even lift his arms? He moved onto the bed and next to Karkat, inspecting the shirt. He moved his hand under the fabric, lifting it off Karkat skin. He also moved to straddle Karkat's legs and hips. It gave him a better angle and would help him keep Karkat steady in the event that the teen started to struggle. He /was/ getting that shirt off. Being careful not to touch Karkat's back with his hand and trying to keep the shirt off of the shoulder, he worked the fabric up. He reached the arms. "Okay Karkat, can you lift your left arm up without too much discomfort? If we can get that arm out I think I can take it off without it touching your shoulder too much."

            Karkat shifted, wanting to throw the other into the floor. But Kankri was just worried... and unless he never had sex or took off his clothes again, Kankri was going to see it sooner rather than later. He lifted his left arm, eyes closed. This was about to be interesting and he wasn't sure he was going to like it. He had never brought it up or even warned the other that he was going to have to do this.

            Kankri worked the left arm out of the shirt and off Karkat's head. He then moved it down and around his right arm, trying to keep touching at a minimum. He sighed with relief as he put the shirt down next to himself and looked to see the damage. For a moment, he couldn't process exactly what he was seeing. On Karkat's shoulder was a newly tattooed picture of a rose.

The only reason he knew for a fact that it was new was that it certainly hadn't been there before and the skin was more than a little angry about it. He felt his mouth tighten into a line. "You... got a tattoo..." he stated, not able to take his eyes off of it. “How.. you’re not old enough.”

            He cringed a little pressing his face into the pillow. He didn't reply. He knew something was going to happen. And then he would have to explain everything. And that... That was going to get more uncomfortable. He laid still under his boyfriend, barely daring to breathe.

 

            Kankri was about to launch himself into a diatribe about tattoos when a thought struck him. The only reason he was seeing the tattoo in the first place was because it was causing Karkat pain. He let out a huff and got off of his boyfriend. Once off the bed, he went over to his desk and opened the computer. His fingers flew over the keyboard, eyes scanning the screen. After about two minutes, once he had the information he needed, he got up and left the room. "We'll talk about this in a moment," he said as he left.

            Karkat groaned softly. He didn't wanna talk about it. He was going to have to. He started thinking of how to explain trying to get things in order. He didn't normally have to go into long explanations. Perk of his job and his life. No one normally wanted to know much about a whore except price and availability. He had hoped against hope that Kankri might actually like it. He could lie about it... but that would be worse than the truth. He sighed and rubbed his face to the pillow

            Kankri came back into the room a moment later. He had a glass of water in one hand. He placed both on the nightstand and pulled a bottle of ibuprofen out of his back pocket. "Okay so I checked on how to properly relief the pain from an aching tattoo. From what I saw the general consensus is take painkillers and keep the area hydrated." He put three of the small pills onto his palm and bent down next to Karkat, putting them into the teen's left hand. "The water is to help get these down." He moved onto the bed and held out a hand. “They were suppose to give you something called ‘tattoo goo’ “

            Karkat knocked back the pills without looking at them, trusting his boyfriend to a fault. He sipped some of the water, still silent for the moment as he heard the other’s comment. Dipping his right hand down into his pocket he offered up the little container Meenah had insisted he would need. He looked back over his shoulder for a moment, his eyes looking down. HE knew he was going to be scolded. "Please don't yell at me..."

            Karkat's request made him soften a bit. He sighed and opened the container, gently smearing the oddly textured goo onto Karkat's skin. His touch was delicate, wanting to make sure he gave Karkat as little pain as possible. "I just don't understand why you even got a tattoo Karkat. You've never seemed to be particularly interested in them before," he looked at Karkat sternly, "The Brazilian had nothing to do with this, did he?"

Karkat sighed softly as the cool goo stole the heat from his skin, eyes drooping shut for a moment as he listened. "I’m not heavily interested in tattoos. " He muttered softly. "And no, Kurloz isn't even in the country this week."

            Kankri paused for a moment. Well that left a lot of holes, lies even, in the past week. But he would come back to that. "Then what exactly possessed you to do this?" Kankri asked, nonplussed. He could not think of any kind of reason for Karkat to want to get a tattoo. He closed the container and set it aside. He'd have to call Porrim to get tips on how to relieve tattoo pain. Much to his displeasure, Porrim have several tattoos and knew how to handle them.

            His eyelids flickered for a second when the goo had completely coated it,, making him make a soft happy noise. He had wanted the pain to ebb all day. It was practically like putting aloe on a sunburn. It would be short-lived. "Work." He muttered not too loud. The other was going to hate this a lot. "Its... Its like a brand on merchandise. Or fashion."

            "Brand?" Kankri repeated, shocked. He looked at the rose again. "They have you mark yourself? Like some sort of human cattle?" He felt slightly sickened by the idea. It was demeaning and made it seem like Karkat was more property than person. He glanced at the tattoo, wanting to cover it or something.

            "It keeps me from being poached or anything worse, and The Garden is one of the most respected houses.. I worked really hard to be in it... To get off the actual streets. Its where 75% of my earnings have been going." He muttered softly. He was not explaining this well. He knew he wasn't but he was trying really hard. "I-iits a good thing okay? It really is. It will heal quick”

            It all was nearly incomprehensible to Kankri. He understood very little about what Karkat did and this just proved his ignorance. He sighed and moved to kiss the back of Karkat's head. "I'm not going to lie to you Karkat, I don't understand. All of this is completely beyond my experience. However, you know better than me on this. If you say that the tattoo is going to keep you safe... well... then I'm glad for it," he pulled back. "You just.. Lie here for now alright? I need to make a quick call." He pulled the phone out of his pocket and dialed Porrim's number, running his free hand through Karkat's hair.

            Kakrat closed his eyes with a soft sigh of relief. "Calling Porrim again..? Tell her I said hi.." He muttered softly, letting his arm flop back down and loose himself in his own thoughts. And hoping his boyfriend wasn’t going to come back more pissed.

            Half a city away, Porrim picked up, leaning against the wall beside her classroom door. "Hey Kankri.” She smirked a little, holding her bag absently in the other hand. “I just got outta class. What’s up? Embarrass yourself again?"

            "No Porrim," Kankri said, rolling his eyes, "I am sorry for bothering you in the middle of the day. However, I need some advice that I think you're highly qualified to answer." He moved his hand through Karkat's hair again, "I need advice on how to regulate the pain one experiences after getting a tattoo. You have had several so I thought you may have some tips."

            Porrim dropped her phone. Scrambling to pick it back up she was actually shocked. "You got a tattoo? Oh my gods Kankri I can't believe this. I need to see it as soon as possible. I can’t believe you did that without me. Treat it like sunburn though don't smear anything or put cloth on it too long. It'll absorb the ink out” She was talking so fast, utterly excited for him.

            Kankri nearly dropped /his/ phone at Porrim's assumption. "No! No, Porrim I did /not/ get a tattoo. I am also not planning on getting one any time in the future. Karkat did, which is why I've called you," he noted Porrim's advice and tapped Karkat on the hand absently, rubbing his skin. "Are there any other ways to alleviate the pain? We administered pain medication to him now. Anything else you can suggest?"

            "Aloe or chapstick around the edges of it. Unless he actually bought the goo stuff and then that’s best. Its gonna hurt, babe. No avoiding it. He just got stabbed at least 1000 times and injected with ink in each little hole." she smiled absently fiddling her fingers along her own tattoos. "You better not have given him a hard time, Kankri. It's his body."

            Kankri winced at the mention of the needles. "And you wonder why I dislike the notion of people I care about getting them," he said, looking at the tattoo wish a grimace. "Yes, yes I understand. I'm not planning on getting onto him about it," Kankri said. Karkat's reasons had been enough for him. He disliked tattoos, but he was not going to get angry at Karkat for something he had no control over. "Thank you for the advice, Porrim. What /would/ we do without you?"

            "Soak out his ink and make him have to get it again most likely. Or maybe just sit around bored but a panicky bored?" She smiled and made kissing noises at the phone. "Later hunny." Even as she hung up, her psych teacher called her back in. "Yes, Miss Lalonde?"

            Karkat laid quietly listening to the phone call, his eyes half closed. He heard it in and glanced up. "Can we cuddle a little? I didn't mean to upset you... I.. I was gonna hold off on showing you till it was healed. Meenah said it would only take a couple days or so.”

            Kankri could help but laugh as he hung up the phone. He looked at Karkat and smiled gently. "Of course." He moved to lie in front of Karkat, facing him. He didn't want to accidently press against the teen's shoulder. He put an arm around Karkat's waist and lower back. His other hand moved up to pet Karkat's hair again. "I'm not upset about the tattoo, Karkat. Honestly I would rather, if you have to do something like this again, you tell me. If I can't stop you from having to do these kinds of things, I at least want to be there to help get you through them. I just don’t like when you lie about whom you’re seeing…" he kissed Karkat lightly, "You make it rather difficult sometimes, being with you."

            Karkat sighed softly. “I didn’t want you insisting you had to come along for all this. All I did was drop off some money and get marked. “

            Kankri absently laid against him. “…You know I am going to want to.. ‘check out’ this Garden, right?” He glanced into Karkat’s eyes.

            Karkat closed his eyes with a groan. “I was worried you’d say something like that.”

 

           


End file.
